The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1894-02-21
A BULLET IN HIS BRAIN.
Louis Hildensiab Takes His Life
While in a depressed Con-
dition.
The Body Found Behind "A Pile OF
CordWood OF Helena
Avenue.
He Had Been Oat OF Work and Was Un-
able 10 Meet His EagAgsments-
Had Macy Friends.

The hundrsds of friends Of Louis Hidden
stab will regret 10 learn that IN a ht Of ds-
spondsnoy on MONDAY night be took his
own life. About 10 o'clock yesterday
mo ming Chau Peterson. an empioys Of
lie bort Nicholson a. Co.. discovered the
body Of a man lying behind a pile Of wood
oh Hslsnn avenue near the Montana Cen
trail crossing. An investigation showed
that be had shot himself through the head
with forty -four oalibor bull dog revolver.
The pistol was lying near the body. aud ia
the dead mans pockets we're found a silver
watch and gold chain. q purse containing
f4.2j and a few trinksts. There vas not
scrap OF paper to show who he was. and IL
was not until noon, after the bosY had
bsen removed 10 the morRuS. that 10 was
Identified as that OF Louis Hildsnstab,
Frank j. Kenck'a bfother-in-lGv. The
dead msn had been employed at Harnonia
hall for number Of years, and
81 the Ifoquois. he Was a genial
fellow. always smiling and full Of fun. He
vas not q hard drinkeT. Industrious and
frugal, and one Of the last men 10 tpe
world that would be supposed 10 take his
own life. it developed 80 the inquest that
be had been out Of work since last October.
and could not pay some interest due on his
home and his taxes we're delinquent. He
had broodsd over this good deal. and the
suppoaition Ia that be cOmr1ittsd the act in
a IL Of melanoholy. He was a member Of
ths A. o. u. W. In good standing. aud
leaves q wife and child. the latter nbout
1--WE years old. Coroner Peasants held an
inquest In the afternoon and the following
facts we're ELECTED
ChAs. Peterson testified that he was
driving down Boulder avenue. about IL
o'clock, when ho saw the body Of man
lyinR behind pile Of wood, about block
from Helena svenue. nsar the Montana
Central crossing. He drove I'D 90 him. and
without getting of his wagon. felt sure the
man was dead. lie did not notice any
wound, or any pistol by bis side. He did
not know the man, and notified Ofesr
Gibson.
Ohioer John Gibson. whose beat is in the
vicinity OF the Northern Pacific depot. told
about seeing Hildensthb twice on Monday.
on Helena avenue. once In the mofuing.
lio did not speak 90 him, as Hildsnstab
was walking pretty fast. lie saw him next
in the evening. about seven o'clock. In the
depot The latter time be refsrrsd 90 the
weather. ard that Was all the eonVeraation.
hildenstab did not seem to want 90 have
any conversation. The next time the ofi-
Ger saw him was when Peterson notified
him of the hndinR of the body.
Chas. Miller. who lives on Livingston
avenue. tssufed that Monday night. about
$50, be heard a shot fred. Miller lives
about forty rods from where Hildenstab'a
body was found. Miller spoke Of the shot
when be heard il 20 his partnof. but paid
no psTticula attention to IL.
Frank ]. ksnck, HildenstAb'a brother-in-
law, testified that he saw him for the lsst
time alive last Wednesday In East
Helena, where he was runninR q saloon for
Kenck. Kenck testified that HildsnstAb
had been doing nothing all winter aud that
Feb. 10 be opened n saloon for him in East
Helena. The dead man had been low.
spirited Cor some time, and on the Msdues-
day referred 90 he complained Of not feel
ing we'll, but everything seemed 20 be all
tight, though lie was loU-spirited. but he
did not say anything about taking his life.
ksnck when he came 10 town told Hiden-
etsb's wife about his not feeling well and
advised her 70 40 out aud see him. She
vent out on Thursday morning and re-
TUNED in the afternoon. She did not see
him after that. Monday ksnck went out
again and found the place locked. and
foand that HildenstAb had come TO town.
Kenok said that Hildenstab had been woF-
Tied over money troubles. NOT having the
money 90 meet his interest payments nor
his taxes. ksnck sold him not 20 worry as
hs would SEQ that everything Wsuld come
out all right. konek reeogn zsd the revolt
yer found by the dead msn's side as one
owned by him.
The iuTy rendered a verdict to the effect
that Hildenstab died by his own hand.