Evening star., 1894-03-27
BOTH USED PISTOLS
Two Morbidly Desperate Men Take
Their Own Lives.
PETER MGGILL AND HENRY MONTROOE
Strong Drink the Primary Cause Of
Both Findings.
T II E WO SUICID E S

"Ruling passion strong in death"
Strong drink was Peter McGilps ruling
passion, and 50 strong was 1t that two min
Ctes before he went to meet his Maker he
swallowed big drink OF the liquid. Then
he put the barrel Of a 32-caliber revolver
against his right temple and pulled the
trigger. Death was instantaneous. The
suicide was d man about forty-nve years
old. He was a Canadian, and kept a saloon
on 7th street just below the American
House. For number Of years he had lived
in this city, and his wife kept dairy
lunch room at their home on 7th street
northwest, between and o streets
This morning about I O'Clock was the
time selected by the man to end his life.
and his saloon was the place in which he
concluded to do the deed.
The saloon kept by the McGills never had
a good reputation in police circles. and
some Of the officers regarded 1t as place
where stolen goods had often changed
hands. 1t was notorious fact that some
persons Of doubtful reputation spent much
of their time in this place, and the loafing
In there had been 20 such extent that
even the bar and walls showed the result
OF IL. There was not that degree of clean
illness noticeable in the average down-to
drinking place, nor was there anything at
tractiye about the one room which was oc-
cupied saloon. Not more than week
ago an old soldier complained that he had
been robbed Of SEQ in this place, and the
police were investigating the report. So
we'll did the police know the saloonkeeper
and his place that when the news Of his
suicide reached headquarters the men were
not at all surprised
The Deadly Weapon.
Peter evidently contemplated taking his
ffa bef e. &l.o
by him was. perhaps, purchased yesterday
Although badly stained by the mans blood,
the weapon looked like new one, and no
one was found who had seen it about the
place before this morning
For several days McGill had been his own
best customer. and Ernest Johnson the
colOred bartender. had taken good care Of
the business. He was in the dingy little
saloon this morning and endeavored to pre-
vent his employers rash act, but did not
succeed.
A few minutes before I o'clock the intoxi-
Gated saloonkeeper made use of language
indicating the state OF his mind.
Think OF me when I'm dead" he re-
marked. ard then he sat in the corner Of
the room on chair and took from his
pocket the shining revolver
For Gods sake don't shoot yourself"
shouted the badly frightened negro, as he
grabbed the armed man and tried to take
the pistol from him.
His Last Drink.
Ernest thought seriously of his own
safety. but the man bent on taking his own
life satisfied him that he would harm no
one but himself, and said in a tone indicat-
ing that he meant every word he uttered:
Go away from me and mind your own
business"
And so Ernest left him and walked to
the other end of the bar
IN take my last drink on EARTH" said
har al =
the hquid and then turned and walked
to the rear Of the room.
Entering closet that was there for the
accommodation of his customers, he seated
nself and pulled the door toward him
until he succeeded in closing 1t.
His Life Finished.
Bang went the weapon, and Peter Nc
Gill was no more. The bullet had entered
his right temple and caused death in an
Instant
johnson rushed to the end of the room
took a look at his employers dead body and
then ran out to spread the alarm But per-
sons on the street had heard the report of
the pistol, and the negro was met at the
dcor by pedestrians attracted there by
curiosity.
a few minutes after the act was commit
ted Policeman Parker reached the saloon
and ne quietly removed the body from the
closet to the floor. Blood was still oozing
from the wound, and the dead mans face
was so colored with the crimson fluid that
even his friends could not recognize him
Coroner Woodward gave the necessary
certificate of death. and the body was re-
moved from the place
Another Suicide.
The residents of Defrees street were
greatly excited yesterday afternoon be-
tween 3 and 4 o'clock when the report of
pistol shot was heard in the house of Henry
A L. Montrose. a civil engineer. who drew
a pension for army services. Montrose
was nfty-three years old, and had lived
near Boston. He came here several years
ago, and lived at No Il Defrees street
with his wife and several children
On Tuesday of last week Montrose left
nome and went of on one of his periodical
sprees Being an old soldier, ne did not
want for friends and whether he had funds
or not he was able to get liquor
After an absence of several days he re-
turned yesterday afternoon to the home of
his wife and children. But it was not to
see them and greet them in loving man.
ner. He had no idea Of making an open
confession of the wrongs he had done them
and ask their forgiveness. Not once did he
think of the loved ones. He had made I'D
his mind to kill himself. and was unchar-
liable enough to return to the home OF his
wife and children and give them all the
| trouble and pain he could. That he went
there for that purpose is evident, for he
purchased new 42-caliber Colts revolver
and went home with 1t in his pocket
His daughter met him at the door, and
was surprised at the opportunity 20 greet
her father after an absence of several DAYS
And so you are back again?" yentured
the daughter.
Yes" answered the father, but I'm not
going to remain long"
Death Instantaneous.
Entering the house. he walked to the sit
ting room in rear of the parlor, and stood
looking at the wall, many a man has
stood before a mirror when contemplating
such an ending. His daughter followed
him in the house and entered the parlor
She looking toward the front window
when suddenly she was startled at the re-
port Of the pistol shot in the adjoining
room.
She turned and saw the dead body of her
father on the floor. Blood was gushing
from a wound In the right temple, made by
the large bullet. But death was instanta-
neOus. Mrs. MontroSe and several Of her
children were on the upper floor, and they
rushed down stairs only to see the sight
already described
A physician was sent for, but he could do
no good, as the suicide was dead before he
reached the house.
When Montrose returned home yesterday
after several days on a spree, he was ap-
parently sober. He had worked at his Lro-
fession during the past few months. but
when he got his pension money he gener-
all q CroOi ~ n for liOlor