San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1892-03-04
WAS IT SUICIDE
A YOUTH FOUND HANGING TO A
MESQUITE TREE.
His Neck Was Broken by the Ropt-
No Cause for Suicide known
Happy and Careless
to Death.

Last night screams from a woman, at
house, number 800 Dwyer avenue, brought
the inmates of the house out into the
grounds where, at the northern extremi-
ty, they saw Miss Ida Dunbar kneeling
beside a form which wa dangling from a
mesquite limb, seemingly kneeling.
Lights were brought and il was soon dis
covered that the form was none other
than that of Miss Dunbar's nephew, Ed
ward Blair, hanging limp at the end of a
rope.
The body was Immediately cut down
and carried into the frort room and laid
on the floor. Every effort was made to
restore him without avail.
The screams of the lady brought a
number OF ~neighbors to the spot and some
of these were dispatched for a doctor.
Nearly every drug store in the city was
called I'M. but a doctor could not be found.
At last Drs. ~Braunnagel and Fisher were
found and taken to the house.
The former arrived first and as soon as .
he examined the body pronounced him
dead and thai his neck was broken.
Mounted Officer Frank Brown was then
dispatched for Justice Heron to hold the
INQUEST. The coroner arrived about 9:10
O'Clock and viewed the body. Several wit
nesses' names were taken and also what
they knew.
The following is a short sketch of their
statements:
All said he had left the supper
table about twenty minutes before he
was found and he had appeared as Jolly
as ever in his life. His uncle, Chas. Dun
bar. stated that the boy had passed him
on the gallery and saluted him with a
Hello Uncle Charlie" and then passed
on out into the yard. Justio Ranjel, the
he opened a window and started to throw
out some dish-water, when the kneeling
form attracted his attention. Az first he
thought the lad was praying and then an
idea struck him that he was trying to
frighten him. He hut the window and
called for a light, but before it had been
gotten Miss Ida Dunbar, the boys aunt,
had discovered him. The cook and a
waiter named Pena ran ont with a light
and together they cut the body down.
Miss Ida Dunbar stated that she was
going out in the yard when she heard a
smothered scream. At first she did not
know what to do, but at last went to-
ward the sound. when she found the bow.
After she got to his side he made a few
%convulsive efforts as though to get his
breath and(then lay still. Until the doc
tor arrived they thought he was not
dead. Everyone who knew him thought
it was an accident coming from a piece
of foolhardiness on his part. He is said
TO have been a very reckless youth, al
ways taking chances and doing things
that endangered his life, just to brighten
his friends and relatives.
A neighbor, Mr.. +. Dobard. who lives
at 1876 Dwyer avenue, stated that The
youth had on several occasions signifed
his intention of killing himself, to him.
The undertakes arrived and the body
was turned over to them. Justice Her
ron did not give a verdict last night but
gave it this morning after an examina-
ton. 1t was suicide.
The deceased, Edward Blair, would be-
sixteen years old on the eleventh
day of next month. He is very tall for his
age. being six feet two inches in height.
He was not attending school this winter
and had no regular work, Oftimes he would
help his uncle, Tom Dunbar. who drives
an Ice wagon, and has been seen on the
wagon several times. The lad was an
orphan and lived with his grandmother,
Mrs. NJ. ID. Dunbar, at the home where
he met his death. He has a sister named
Adele Blair, aged I2 years, who also lives
with her grandmother.
The rope with which he met his death
had two knot in it, as though he had
tied them, while In the tree himself and
jumped or fell from where he sat. The
force of the fall broke his neck.
The justice examined the rope and then
left it in the hands of the mounted officer,
Frank Brown.