The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-01-30
BLEW OUT HIS BRAINS.
DRIVEN TO SUICIDE BY LOVE,
WHISKY AND POVERTY.

Bullet INTO bis tenple'
a Package of Letters Tells the
Story of His Rash Deed-Filled With
Drink. a woman's Glide Sends Him
to His Death.
James E. Berry committed suicide by
shooting himself through the head yester-
day morning in bed at Joseph Stephenson g
house, No. ASS Bay street.
With the bed CLOTHES covering him COM
pletely to muffle the report OF the weapon
he sent SS-caliber ball from an old-fssh-
toned Remington pistol into his brain.
Berry held the muzEle against his forehead,
directly between his eyes, and the front
portion OF his head was torn in horrible
manner. Death must have been instanta-
neous, but he was dead about four hours
before he was discovered.
Berry and Stephenson were friends, and
several times Berry stopped at the iatter's
house over night. He went there Sat-
urday night about dark under the in
fuenoe Of liquor end said he wanted to stay
for the night At 8 o'clock he went 20 bed
In a back room, with a small boy, and was
soon asleep. The boy arose about O'Clock
yesterday morning, and while he was dress
ing Berry awoke and wanted TO know why
be was getting up 80 soon. That was the
last time the unfortunate man was seen
alive.
WHEN HE FIRED THE FATAL SHOT.
Shortly after the boy left Stephenson
heard a sound in Berry's room as il = rock
had been thrown against the wall, but sup
posing something had fallen he paid DO
further attention 10 it That sound, how
ever, was undoubtedly the report of the
revolver under the bed covering.
Between s and 8 o'clock Stephenson went
into the room to rouse Berry, and was sur
prised to see that even his head was under
the quilt. He called 70 him that breakfast
was ready, but not receiving any answer
Stephenson stepped over to the bed and
shook Berry.
Still there was no response, and he pulled
back the clothes TO give him another shaks
Ing. The sight which greeted Stephenson
caused him TO jump back with yell of ter
ror. Berry was lying half on his side with
his head and face in pool OF clotted blood
and the fatal revolver still tightly grasped
in his right hand. The pillow shee ts, blan-
ket and quilts were saturated with blood,
and the bed looked as IL 10 had been through
slaughter house.
HIS REASONS FOR DYING.
Coroner Dixon was notified at once and
soon arrived at the scene. He began an in
vestigation TO find the motive for Berry's
aSt hn0 Al u lew Illluub6S ulbCONeE6u q let
ter in the pocket Of the dead mans coat,
which was hanging on the wall, that ok.
planned everything. The causes summed
up in brief were whisky, love and poverty.
Berry had undoubtedly coolly planned his
suicide, and evidently arose after the boy
left the room, wrote his last letter, got his
pistol, turned back into bed, covered him.
self and put an end to his earthly troubles
Here is copy Of the letter:
MY troubles are great and l am tired Of
life. Trouble has caused me TO drink. Ny
trouble has been brought upon me wrong
fully, but the respect l had or have for my
children has caused me to keep I'D, One /
SO dearly loved has be- en- the cause OF this.
Life has been a blank to ms for ten years.
Hoping the public viii forgive me, am
yours. J.E.B.n
HAD PAwNED EVERYTHING.
Coroner Dixon's next find was a batch OF
pawn tickets, showing that Berry had
pawned everything he had except the suit
be wore. The tickets were dated from Dec.
II TO Jan. 20. The first was for a watch.
sachel and contents, at Strauss pawnshop.
The next four in order were for filled
watch, overcoat, pen and chain at Muhl~
berg's, and the last, only few DAYS old.
for revolver at Kaskells.
In another pocket were seven letters
which explained probably that part of
Berry's final epistle about zone he so
dearly loved" They were written in pretty
style and evidently came from a woman Of
education and refinement The single let
ter IL was all that was signed to any Of
tae letters, and on several was the admoni-
ton, "Burn this letter"
They told the story of love and an en-
gagement to marry. The first was written
IN December, making an appointment to
meet Berry in the park. Then followed
others with different places OF meeting ar
EanOa6 n fal al
BERRY WAS NOT TRUE.
Some arrangements must have taken
place between the couple, because the last
few letters were asking Berry for an inter-
view, and the final one was that If he did
not meet the writer yesterday she would
consider the engagement off and everything
settled between them. Coroner Dixon will
turn the letters over to the writer if she
calls for them
The last letter was probably the one
which decided Berry TO commit suicide. He
was a victim to drink, had pawned every
thing, was without a cent and rather than
meet the woman whom he had promised TO
marry the most preferable thing to him
doubtless was the grave.
Berry had only been here few months.
He was an agent for come patent roof
paint aud compound paints, and will be re-
memoered by many on account of his visits
80 them in advocacy of his stuff. He got a
few orders and for awhile seemed to get
along fairly well, but finally be took 20
drinking, and his career downward was
rapid.
BKRRY's ANTECEDENTs UNKNOWN
No one seems to know anything about the
man or where he came from to Savannah.
For awhile he boarded at No. 40 TAYLOR
street, where several of his sweetheart's let
tiers were directed, but since be left there
be had no permanent location, as evidenced
by the letters being addressed 20 the gem
eral delivery OF the postoffice. An effort
was made TO locate the writer Of the letters
TO Berry, but as she only signed an initial,
Coroner Dixon will have to trust to her
calling for them.
Stephenson, in whose house Berry killed
himself, only knew him two weeks. and
says be was drunk steadily during that
time. Berry must have been a widower or
else was separated from his wife. Judging
from that portion OF his last letter which
speaks of his respect for bis children.
Coroner Dixon will hold Berry's body for
day or two to try and secure some further
information about him and his former
home.
The suicide was a heavily-built man
about feet 10 inches in hight with a
rudy complexion, dark hair and q sandy
mustache. He looked to be about IS years
of age. He was what would be termed a
As.@t