The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1893-10-15
Suicide Theory Not Borne Out
by the Testimony at tho
Inquest
Tho Indications Ave That He Worried
Himself Into the Grave Over His
1inaRoIsI Troubles.


been doing on other occasions OF late.
After resting for awhile from his e1ertions
he walked about the ranch. His wife wsnt
out to the ranch during the afternoon. but
~ there seemed TO 10 nothing unusual
about Mr.. Child's appearance. she left. but
on her return to the city consulted DR.. Z.
B. Miller. A later report from the anch,
however, showed that NJ. Child was doing
90 we'll that the doctor did NOT consider
visit necessary. After Mrs. Child had left
Mr.. Child lay down on the bed In his room,
and from time to time sleit soundly.
During the night. VI his request. Henry
Thompson. manager of the sanch. remained
in the room with him. not leaving him
until after five O'Clock yesterday morning.
at which time Mr.. Child was sleeping
quietly. Manager Thom son went ont to
start his men at work. and came back about
half past eight. Mr.. Child was still sleep.
ing. Whom. about half an hour later.
Henry Mcfarland, brother-in-law OF Mr..
Child. entered the room, the latter seemed
to be breathing heavily. Mr.. mcfarland
tried TO arouse Mr.. Child. but couldn's.
He then started after Manager Thompson,
when hs saw Mrs. Child coming from the
MIS- Child became alarmed at his broath.
ing, which she said wasn't natural. and
dashed como water in his face. Ihey also
gave him some coffee Of which he swallowed
a little without apparent difficulty. HIS
hands and feet were rubbed and mustard
| rlaster put on his breast. Another WAS
put on his feet. Nothing. however. would
arouss him. and he died at 10 O'Clock, an
hour after his wife arrived. The body was
brought to the city and taken to the Child
| home on Ewing street. As tho death nao
occurred in Jefs son counst, the ranch pc
! ing just over the Lewis and Clarke line.
Coroner Plsasants teiegraphed to tne
coroner of Jetferson county to know II no
would come here and hold an inquest he
Jefferson county coroner replied dsleRat,ng
Coroner PIessants to represent him.
last night. Henry McFarland was the
hrst witness. He said he saw Mr.. Chsld ut
the rHnoh little before six o'clock Ariday
| Afternoon, and asked him how ne fels
| Mr.. Child said he was not very well and
went into the house and lay down ON shs
bed in his room. Aoous an noui ,s'ot Or. sii H.
| Mcfarland reused him and wanted him TO
| take some supper or cup OF sea. Mr
Child declined. Mr.. Mcfarland looked
into Mr.. Child's room before retiring about
half past nine and again when he got up
about s,x O'Clock yesterday morning, and
|
Child was sleeping apparently naturally.
| About nine O'Clock when he looked IN
again Mr. Child seemsu to bs breathing
be eavier and Mr.. Mcfarland tried to arouse
him. but cou!dn't. He started after
Manager Thompson. bat seeing Mrs;
Child coming from the train returned
10 the house with her. Mrs. Child be-
coming alarms Cd At her husbands unnatural
| Breathing dashed water into his fAce ana
they gava him some coffee. of which he
d,ank little. NJ. Thompson was sent
for and they nll rubbed Mr.. Cai!d's hands
and feet and np lied mustard pissNis 70
his breast and feet. but nothing they could
do would arouse him. When asked ms
theory a. to what y. oducsd the stupor Mr.
Mcfarland said that from Mr.. Childa
| pvavions actions and what he had told the
witness. lie had supposed II was opinm
Mr.. Child had told him about week be-
fore, when in Helena, that he had taken an
ounoe of laudAnum some days previous;
that his financial troubles had knocked
him of his ieet and life was not worth liv-
ing. Mr.. mcfarland said he didn't lot Mr..
Child get out OF his sight until the evening
cheerful and seemed to think every thing
was coming out all light
Henry hompson said he hrst knew OF
MIR Child's presence At the sanch little
after noon on FRIDAY. Mr.. Child said he
was very wenk. He also said: ut is a pretty
ha proroSltion. oohs hhoW Hen!S' al
Pm going to stand II much lonSer." Al
effort to get Mr.. Child to eat something
dldn', succeed. When he finally got Mr.
Child to 30 10 the room aud lie down, h'
left Wilbur Il. Sanders to watch him. Mr.
Thompson saw Mr.. Child several tine'
after that and shortly after eight on one OF
} his visits. MIR. Child asked him to iemaiI
there with him. This MIR. Thompson did
aud from quarter past eight FRIDAY eveninl
until quarter past five yesterday morning
Mr.. Child was not out Of his sight. Nj.
} Child awoks several times during
the night and on each ocoasion talked
till he fell asleep again. When Mr.. Thomp-
sou left him shortly after i've in tn. morn
ing he WINS sleeping aud his breathing
seemed more natural than nt any time dur
ing the night. Mr.. THOMPSON saw him
three times nfte. that before Mrs. Child
and on each occasion Nj. Child apueAr ed
10 bs sleeping naturally. After Mr. Chi!d'.
death . se8roh WAS made. Int they did not
find any bottles or packages that nigh,
have contained poison. Mr.. Thompson
said MIR. Child seemed to worry himself oui
with eIsrtion. exposure and lack OF food
and drink. Friday made the thlid time be
had walked out to the ranch during ths
week.
DIR, C. II. Miller testifed that he had
been prescribing for Mr.. Child frequently
: since the latter part OF July. The pfesorip
|
make him sleep. Tns Doctor saw him OF
Thursday. on which occasion Mr.. Chile
} remarked that "it would bs better 10 ont
this At once." bnt said that would be COW,
ardly and he wouldn's do it, He seenes
to have fear that he would become in-
sane. On ons occasion hs got Some mo.
phiue from the case in the doctors office
but afterwards returned it. The latter
Kart of Septembsr M. Child came 10 tn,
doctors office aud said he had mken M
ounce of lRudanum. The Doctor used th'
stomach pump and relieved him. On Sept
IL, about six o'clock in the evening. Mr.
Child came to the DOCTORS office again with
Mrs. Child and SAID he had taken another
ouncs i've hours before. F.on subsequent
developments the doctor lid he was salts
hsd Mr. Child had done nothing o
} the kind. DIR. Niller had posted MIS-
|, Child ON the symptoms Of opium poison
!, ing, and after Mr.. Child's death YESTERDAY
asked her If there had be-, any of then
noticeable during the time sho was will
him preceding tho end. Mrs Child hat
] notioed none of thcee vymptoms, The doc