Capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1893-1895, 1894-03-09
A MOST TERRIBLE suicide.
Elijah BreSSIer' Blows Out His
Brains
IN A WILD FIT Or INSANITY,
Death Of a Madly Jealous Wood
chopper.

street and presents its gable to the east.
Bressler came into the room where the
family was With shotgun In his hand
at about 8 o'clock and without saying
"A word discharged the gun so that the
load entered the back of his head, some
scattering In the ceiling, and he fell
fiat on his back close To the door where
he entered the room. The gun fell
under his feet and was lying there
when the reporter saw the body. The
above is the family's story.
THE DEAD MAN
lay on the floor in the kitchen and
with a Gaping hole in the back of his
head and large hole out of the top,
mass of brains protruding and a pool OF
several gallons of clotted blood, and
portions of his brains on the floor. The
gun was breech loading single barrel
shot gun, about number II muzzle,
and the stick he touched the trigger
with was about Is inches long, round
piece of broomstick. He is mah
about six feet high, had red, round
short beard aud kindly, but not very
strong face.
Bressler is about 80 years old, has
wife and one child, and has been work
ingat wood chopping on farms about.
There are number who say he has
aot been just in his right mind and say
ne has at times acted strangely, and
there is a strong suspicion of insanity.
HIS BROTHER.
His brother, Joseph Bressler, who
moved in with him Monday, was there
and his wife and two children were
there. Joseph says Elijah was raviaR
all night long and was out of his mind.
He watched him all last night and
really expected an awful accident.
HERMAN BROWN
was working about a block away. At s
O'Clock heard the women rush out of
the house screaming murder" They
told him he was dead and he went
and notified the sheriff.
II. BUNCE
who lives right across the street was in
his barn but did not bear the shot. He
says the dead man was of a jealous dis
position and has had trouble with
several about his wife. He threatened
| to kill Geo. Bunce about month ago
with a big knife and was very abusiYe.
S. G. KIGHTLINGER
reached the house about 8 o'clock just
as he was giving his last gasps. Mrs.
Bressler and the women in the house
were all excited and the house was In
great confusion. Breakfast was hot on
the table and the family were ready to
eat when he came In and committed
the awful deed.
JOSEPH BREssLER
tells this story:
He slept In the house and was right
across the room from me, and all night
| long he raved aud cursed In the most
violent manner. | moved in Monday
and he was quiet until yesterday after
noon. Then he began to rave, and II was
almost impossible for the women and
children to stay In the house. l was
down town about three hours from 10
g. When got back, he was alone In
the kitchen. The women were In an,
other part OF the house. They did not
feel safe but came back There was nc
trouble between us.
EDITH BRESsLER
says he came over to her fathers home
Geo. Bressler, about o'clock a, IN. lie
asked for his gun and clothes and sale
they were all the friends he had
His wife took his gun aud knife ant
hid IL under the bed. She put the guu
back this morning, and thought he wai
all right
lie said before all, "I am going L
shoot myself Now, here II goes" ant
he did IL. There was no one In the
room but his wife and the three chill
dren aud 10,
THE INQUEST,
Sheriff knight telephoned TO Cor
oner s tOtt, who could not come anC
notified Judge Bachelor 10 hold an in
quest. AT 10 O'Clock the officers ar
rived aud the remains were laid on 4
door In the kitchen, Judge Batchelol
decided 20 have the body removed 10
the city morgue, which was done and
an Inquest was held at one O'Clock
There are several circumstances con,
nected with the ease that demand a
careful investigation,
THE FAMILY
except Mrs. Bressler seem not exactly
indifferent about the death OF the
brother but do not show feeling In the
matter As might be expected. Ms.
Breasler Is moaning about the house In
great gneE A fresh wad aud a bunch
OF hair was picked up Ia the adjoining