Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1893-07-08
SHOCKING SUICIDE.
Goo, A. hGolrS, the Well Known MIning
RaO, Blows 0ut His Brains.
DETAILS OF THE AWFUL TRAGEDY.
A Sickenlng sequel to Hard Times
Too Sensitive 10 Endure the
Embarrassment Of Debt.

NNthIri tho wei known mining HpeCu-
lator, committed Suicide this morning
hy blowing out his brains with a
revolver
About a week ago Mr.. Meears cou.
lract,d a severe cold which settled Oh
his lungs AMI was obliged to take 90
his room, where he remained most o.
the time w to the commission OF his
rash deed. Yesterday afternoon ho
cent for Mr.. +. g. Bassutt for the pur.
pose Of talking over some business
matter with him. He appeared to be,
aud said that he was. consider
ably better than at any time since his
illuess. For years MT. Meeafs had
been engaged IN mining speculation
ia thlu Territory aud was well known
throughout the wesi. lie WIS bright,
well educated msn, highly sensitive,
generous, anu popular with all classes
nnd was possessed Of excellent business
ability anu foresight. The recent de-
cline In tho mining marAet loJ him "A
paupur Hu had numerous invest.
ment1 anu business projects which "A
few months ago were worth consider.
uble money, He saw the trend OF
financial matters ana sought 10 oxtrl.
cute himself and tile over the abyss
which threatened his worldly ruin.
He borrowed money with when to
save himsult In short time his
obligations fell due anu he was
unable % meet them. This
fact worried him immeasurably aud
lao went to bis bankers and informed
them that they must help HIM out Of
the difficulty IN which lac was placed.
Under ordinary circumstances and at
any other time lac could have gotten
almost any amount Of money simply
for the asking. but at this time he
could not get "a dollar and It drove him
to Despair. The simple meeting Of
creditor for whom he could do nothing
caused him intense anxiety.
lie know that To-Day IA gentleman
with whom ho had had business deal.
ings was to institute legal proceedings
against him aud his mental distress is
SAID 10 have been pitilul TO behold. He
I was also victim OF insomnia aud
last night he SLEPT but little. He was
FESTIVE aud teverisn Rud arose from
h,s bed to get drink Of water two or
three times.
Shorty after 4 o'clock this morning
ho agniu got up. His wife cnuti0noI
him 10 be careful that he did not ~
gravate his cold. lie said that he
would, aud went down stairs. Ga
reaching the ground floor lac stepped
into One OF the rooms where he kept
his riltH, fevOlveTs sud ammunition
| TOR lac was man who loved shooting,
and was Onb OF tho best marksmen
aud huntHmen In the Territory and
selecting n iOr,y-iive caliber Colpa
cavalry revolver he loaded 1t all
around, putting In two explosive aud
Jour regular cartridges, also two uudis-
| charged explosive suelIs In one Of the
/ pockets OF his Trousers. He then lett
the house by this back steps and wont
TO the barn at the rear OF the premises.
| This building Is IA Oue.stOry frame
structure adjoining the premises OF
| the late FRANK n. Dyer. IL mas three
! small compartments, the south
/ ono being occupied by the family
| horse, the middle one by few bales
/ Oi hay ana the north one by Carl
bge. He entered the narrow condor
where the bales Of hay were ana seat.
ing himself upon one Of them he
prepared 70 XIII himself.
In the meantime Mrs. Meears be-
came uneasy at his protracted absence
and tripped quickly down stairs. Find
| lug tho back door open and a belt
OF cartridges In the cradle she became
alarmed aud rushed cut In search OF
I her husband. just "a she reached the
| porch she beard ths report OF tho
| revolver anu for an instant she was
| pOweTless. Then summOuiug up her
strength and courage she ran down the
| pathway 70 the barn anu
opening the door was horrl-
! He'd at seeing MIR. Meears sitting
ON bale " hay, leaning backwards,
his quivering body covered with
blood and brains, aud the top Of his
head torn completely OF. She had
suspected the worst but was Ia no way
prepared for the ghastly sight that
met her gaze. Others heard the fatal
shot and saw her frantic actions and
hastenet 20 the spot 10 lend what
assistance they could.
Chief VI Police Paul, who resides on
the same block, aud Coroner Taylor
arrived shortly after. The body was
removed by Undertaker Joseph
william Taylor 10 his mOrguo on West
Temple street, where an inquest will DO
held on MOnuay next.
The deceased has bsen resident Of
Utah since his boyhood, having come
here from England with HE parents at
an early date. lie was In his forty
seventh year anu leaves q wife and
Jour children ranging from two 10
twenty'three years OF age. Three Of
them nre girls.
The parents OF the deceased were old
and respected residents Of willard,
Utah. Both are now dead. Mrs.
Meears was u Utah girl. Her maiden
uame was Gordon anu her home was
ut Willard, where her husband was
once engaged as operator for the Des-
sret Telegraph company.
MT. Mears's family can scarcely
comprehend the terrible reality Of the
situation In which they are placed. IL
is Ouly recently that The deceased con.
demned In the strongest Terms tho
COW ardico ana weakness OF flling q
victim " the suicide GRAZ. An incl
dent worthy Of nOte In connection with
the dread affair IL the fact that MT.
Mears slept with a small revolver un.
der his pillow last night as has been
hie custom ever aiuce the buTglaTiOuB
crusade was iERugurated in this city
hree years ago. This weapon, how
ever he left unmolostsd, either because
no did not regard I Of sufficient cAp8c-
ity TO do tho WORK Intended, or that he
cared by removing II that he might