Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1893-05-25
SHOCKING SUICIDE.
William H. Jennings Ends His Life
BY Shooting Himself
on THE DOORSTEP OF HIS HOME.
Business Cares said to Have Caused
Dependency aud Mental Aber.
ration. Inquest.

Sal! Lake saiuldo OF tho year occurred
last night In the death OF William II.
Jennings, vice president and suprrin.
tondent Of the Mountain Stone com.
pany aud superintendent OF tho Cul.
mer-Jennings Paving company. No
cause was last night advanced
tor the commission Of the dreadful
deed other than too clotu application
to business anu consequent worry
which IL Is now believed by the dc.
ceassd's friends produced temporary
mental alteration.
Speaking OF the az II Mr. IL. l.. A.
Culmer, who perhaps knew Mr.. Jen.
nings better than any other Salt
Laker, and who has been closely asSo.
ciated with him socially and nnan.
cially, sinoe his arrival In Utah a few
years ago, said that Mf. Jennings sent
for him TO conl- down 10 the com.
pany's First south street office last
night about 8 O'Clock. Hp also tele.
phoned for Coo. II. Culmer another
member Of the company. Both res
ponded TO Mfr. Jennings's calls. They
found him IN anything but happy
mood. He appeared to be entirely be.
side himselian was nervous, Irritable
and discouraged. Naturally he was
very sensitive and the mullifirlous
duties required OF him Of late Of
business character were very vexiny
and In tho silghtest irrogularity he
detected forobodings OF evll. Yester.
day he paii n visit: 10 Ogden Tor the
purpose OF Obtaining big Stone con.
tract for his company anu failing he
returned displrltcd.
Ho had n long talk with the
Measrs. Culmer last night and
they sought 10 cheer MIN up
but he saw only darknesl anu
disappointment before him. After
good deal OF persuasion he consented
10 90 mono AMI ailow thcm to accom-.
pany BIN. The trip was made ia
cab. When the lane which loads TO
Ills house-Bullevue TeTTact--Bouih OF
sixth south South, between Filth and
sixth Easl streets, was reached Harry
Cuimer alignioi from the cab anu
walhed Mt the eide OF Mr. Jenningr 10
hio front door, George remaining at
tho cab.
Juat befcre rrnohing tho torch Harry
stepped 10 the front anu rang the door
bell. There was no resnonse anu he
rang the second time which net was
simultaneous with the report OF pie.
toll. He turned quickly and lust In
time t. SEE ALT. Jennings fIll with n
smoking revolver In his hand.
George f., who was quietly await.
ing the return Of his broIner from the
house, and the cabman anu neighbors
rushed TO the spot. ThB door was
opened by the servant and Mr.. Jen.
nings was carried into the dining room,
thelblood streaming from his right car |
from the orifiUs made by the bullet |
which was n IS caliber.
DR.. Plummer was hastily sum. |
monod anu found on examination that |
The ball had lodged noar the base OF |
tho brain and no announced that the
wounded man would die within an
hour. Mr. Jennings remained ia a
,emi-conscious condition and died soon
after midnight. Thoshootlngioc
1t 1920. Before breathing his last ho
pite0us.y bewnlled his desperate act
,nd asked his young wife 10 kiss him.
Mr.. jennings was an Englishman,
having been born In London forty.
me years ago. lie lived for many
pears In sydney, Australia, where he
engaged chiefly IN contracting for the
erection OF public works and buildingn.
dc was man OF fino physique and
and was finely educated and
Ind splendid business qualifications.
He wasn0t related In any way TO the
Id and well known jennings family
Il this city. He leaves u wife whom
10 married In this city between two
nd three years ago, aud little boy
bout year old. Mrs. Jennings Ia
rostratod with grief and Gays her
husband must have been laborinR un.
or spell OF temporary insanity.
THE INQUEST.
The body was removed, on order OF
'oroner Taylor, to his office In Skewes,
establishment where an
iqIest was held this morning begin.
ing at 10 O'Clock.
Several witnesses were examined but
10 testimony OF Mr.. III. l.. Il. Culmer
as the most pointed and gave the kew
} the commission OF the terrible affair.
He said that during the discussion
business matters betweon MIR. Jen.
ingq, himself and his brother Georpe
:, the latter addressed MIR. JenninRs !,
!, follows: "What In the world IA the y
latter with you, WIN? l can't un. =
srstand your conduct at all; You
iouldn't look on the dark side Of !
GO home, cheer mn ond
II some sleep and tomorrow you will y
, new mnu."
"Sleep, sleep, did you say, (lurnIne u
Harry Why Harry, nover sieep.1
"Never sleep, Oh pshaw!"
81 tell you (clenching his fists and y,
airing about exollelly) never eileen. y
hen In my bod upon my buck. when v
y vile thinks am wrapt ia slnmber u
am lilently battling for the rest | p
mot get" u,
further upon the mat. ~
! Mr.. Culmor stated that he WAS CON. "
lent that Mr.. Jennings's rash deed ~ ~
rs due directly TO insomnia, He "
lew that he had been victim ~
that awful ailliclion for some ~
nc. The deceased had told him
fore that he suiieiel from sleep less.
70 and that sea voyage WINS M.
ly thing that benefited him, but
i with the business enganen,ents IL
, company now had on hand he
aid not think OF taking one at pres.
some one started the baseless and
runor that Mr.. Jennings co
! been drinking heavily the last day OF