The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1894-08-31
FLED FROM DISEASE.
A Transfers Suicide Amid
Thoughts of His Sweetheart.
LEFT HER HALF HIS PROPERTY.
Fred Syvrud. Driven TO Despair BY
Catarrh, Writes His viii and
Blows Out His Brains.

Fred Syyrud. a Norwegian feamsser,
blew out his brains at an early hour yes
Ierday morning in room 30 of the Weaver
house. 2ll Commercial street. without any
apparent motive other than dependency
| over bis sweetheart, far away in the home
of his birth. Ragna Christensen is her
name. and 10 her he left the bulk of his
property. according TO the bequest con-
tanned in note written in pen and ink
evidently just before he placed the re-
volver 10 his head. 1t reads:
az want TO give what money there be
left and real estate TO Ragna Christensen,
| Kailmeier gadsn Tstreetl No. 7. Christians,
Norway. etsge floor
land the other things to my brother n.
c. Syvrud, Hotel Duoglas, So Tower ave-.
West Superior, Wis. "FRKn SYyRUD.
land 10 hold the properly till better
price can be had when times get better.
"The cause of my act is an incurable
disease"
Syvrud returned from a visit to his ma
tive land and the woman Of his choice only
last June. Hewent TO the Weaver house on
the 10Th of that month, and from that day
TO his death had done no work. He was
in easy circumstances. seemed contented,
and TO all appearances was ever on the
best of terms with his sweetheart. The
real property he leaves 20 her is considera-
bic for a laboring man. He owned two
lots near Lake Union, lot in Shelton
and a homestead of l60 acres west of Shell
ton, the whole valued at s., 600 There is
also certificate of deposit for 500 TO his
credit in the First National Bank of this
city.
The first person TO receive an intimation
of the suicide was William Fischer, q
waiter, who occupied the room immedi-
ately adjoining Syvrud's on the west
About daylight yesterday morning Fischer
says he heard noise like the report of a
pistol, but naid no attention TO il. He
sleeps late and when he awoke yesterday
afternoon he found y. ]. Lekve, proprietor
of the house. trying the door to Syvrud's
room. That was about O'Clock, and was
the second attempt Lekve had made TO
rouse his ledger. Fischer at once recol-
lected hearing the shot, and spunging to
banister fronting the window to the room,
peered in over the blind.
bloody sight met his gaze. Syvrud
lay in pool of blood, his head next to the
door. S2-caiiber revolver near by, while
crimsons spots on the wall marked the
places where drops of the mans life tide
had been thrown by the force OF the shot
Coroner Horton reached the room in a few
minutes aud found that Syvrud had
placed the muzzle of the weapon near the
right side of the head. The ball had bro
ken the skull to pieces, making a CHASTITY
wound, and had lodged in the skin on the
other side of the head. Both eyes were
blackened and the nostrils were of deep
crimson hue.
An examination of the remains dis
closed nothing beyond few trinkets and
purse containing 81 in silver.
IL was evident after a search of the room
that the dead man had debated in his own
mind as to q choice OF deaths. A gas jet
hung down from the center of the ceiling.
and TO the knob used for turning on and
extinguishing the light was attached a
twine string, so arranged as to be man
aged from the bed. Evidently Syvrud
had considered asphyxiation as a desirable
means of ending life, but in the last mo-
ment took recourse to the revolver.
Charles Sorenson. a tailor employed by
the Cameron Caledonia Dyeing and Clean
ing Works. was we'll acquainted with the
deceased, who was about 50 years old, and
only the evening before had asked him 10
90 out to Lake Washington. syvrud
answered, "No; I'm not feeling well, J" and
walked away. The next news Sorenson
heard of Syvrud was his death. Tuesday
evening Syyrud had appeared to be in ex-
celIent health, but for the statement above
noted. Sorenson says he complained re-
peatedly of catarrh, the ravages OF which
disease had discouraged him. Catarrh is
the disease referred 20 in his note, as
nothing of a more serious nature had az
tiictsd him.
Nothing is known Of \. c. syvrud. the
brother mentioned in the note as being at
West Superior. Wis.
Physically SyvFud was fine specimen
of manhood. he was of medium height,
about l65 or 10 pounds in weight and had
muscles developed like an athletes. lie
was the last man one would suspect Of TAX
ing his own lie because Of a physical all
ment What disposition viii be maze Of
the remains has not been decided. The
coroner will not hold an Inquest