The Lebanon express. (Lebanon, Linn County, Or.) 1887-1898, 1894-09-28
SUICIDE IN ALBANY.
E. H. Burnham Found Dead Near the
presbyterian.chureh.

~>ISy Ns't"ft .~HeANh'
Monday night about 11:3O O'Clock
Carleton Sox and Glenn Iryine were
accompanying some young ladies home
from a reception at the College, when
they discovered the body of man
lying partly on the sidewalk and part
ly on the raised ground beside it at the
southeast corner Of the United P-esby-
terian church. Thinking it was u
drunken man the young men notified
Nightwatchman Jones, WHIP, accom-.
panied by DIR. Hill and sonwllo were
just returning home from professional
visit went. to the place and examined
the man who was found Ia be dead.
The body was taken to No. rs engine
house. Judge Powell, acting as coroner
took it in charge and examined the
mans pockets. The right pantaloon
pocket was turned oui, some keys and
apocket knife were in the other pocket,
handkerchi + and $l,35 in hip
pocket, q pair of eye glasses, small
mirror and watch key III his vest
pocket. There was no watch. He
wore brown suit of clothes, and
Masonic pin was fastened to his vest.
On his person We're found papers, how
ing his name to be 4. H. Burnhan,
and that he formerly belonged to the
Masonic lodge of Corvallis. A bullet
hole passed through his vest, which
vas slightly powder burned, and Ills
shirt, just below his heart, and ranging
into his heart. About twelve feet back
of where he was found was a revolver.
About II O'Clock several people in the
vicinity heard shot fired, and az
least two think they heard some one
cry for help. Mr.. Walter Peacock,
who returned home about that time
from the College, heard shot fired,
and awhile after saw couple of men
run past the county, Jail. tits doubt
full though if it had any connection
with the shooting. Mr.. Read on
returning home awhile before saw the
man in the vicinity of the church. He
had also been seen near there during
the day and on Sunday.
Mr. Burnham came from Portland
on Friday and registered at the st.
Charles. He had formerly boarded
with Mr.. GibIin in Corvallis, There
are two versions OF the matter, one
that the man was murdered, the other
that he committed suicide. The latter
is probably the correct one. Burnhanl
had been despondentand had renal ktd
in the morning that he was about
broke and didn't know what lie should
do. Last year he worked In Chicago
on the fair buildings, being painter
and paper hanger, and had contracted
rheumatism, which was troubling
him, as a chronic case Of neuralgia.
Several circumstances indicated that
lie contemplated suicide, and il Is o
peculiar fact that Just before being
awakened and notified, Mr. Giblin
had dreamed that he had done the act
the mans conduct evidently having
made the impression on his mind. Hi
/ position when found showed there had
. been no struggle; the revolver hac
/ evidently been thrown over his heat
as he fell back, on the ground, and HI
| probably cried out as if for help. HI
= probably had not been carrying
watch. The weight Of evidence is de
cidedly on the side of suicide, and il
= fact there is little doubt on the sub
i ject.
Burnham was nearly fifty .year2 q
. age, He was single, and Ii we'll spdkel
. of by Corvallis men who knew hin
:, in that city.
y The following is the verdict of tn
. corner's jury:
We, the coroner's jury, summone'
to inquire into the cause Of the deatl
of E. H. Burnham, deceased, find tina
Il the deeeased came to his death from
Z gunshot wound inflicted by his owl
: hands on September "A, 1894, hetweel
10 and u o'clock P. NJ. (Signed)
.. JAMES DANNALs,
d Foreman,
e W, W, RowELL,
IS y. Z. ALLEN,
e F.W, BLUMBERG,
y JOHN BRUSH,
it ID. B. MoNTEITH.
II ALBANY Democrat