The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1894-10-15
HOW DID He DIE2
A Bullet Ends Birch Adams
Life Last Night
Was It Case Of Suicide
or Not?
A CORONER'S JURY
CORONER'S JURY
Trying to Decide That Question
Today.
Adams Subjected to anOperatiOn
for Imbecility.

a timer formerly of North Topeka, was
shot and killed last night about half past
5 o'clock under somewhat mysterious
circumstances at the home of his parents
at 2O21 West street lie probably died
oy his own hand.
The young man was 10 years old and
has been in poor health for two years
Last winter he arrested for theft
and confined in the county Jail. lie
there several weeks and suffered from
attacks of epilepsy. He was very irrita-
BILE and quarrelsome and frequently had
trouble with the other prisoners.
Instead of Icing tried for the crime
which was the theft of a neighbor's
chickens. his parents had proceedings to
inquire into his sanity instituted in the
probate court He was given a hearing
and was adiudged insane or imbecile
and was sent TO the Topeka Insane asy-
lun. He was there about four months
when DR.. McCasey notified the
boys father that he was practically
cured. His father then took him home.
He soon manifested symptoms Of in
sanity again, and his parents decided to
have a surg pical operation performed,
similar to those at Winfield. Dr. w. e.
Brownell was consulted, and he decided
that such an operation should be per-
formed.
The young man was told what
his parents had decided should be done,
and assented The operation was per
formed four weeks ago. and the patient
gave every Indication o. favorable re-
covery. Saturday Inflammation of the
kidneys set in, and he suffered great
pain. Hot bandages were applied to his
back, and he soon became easy. On
Sunday the pain again became intense,
and the doctor was again sent for The
boy became better, but after the doctor
had gone he called a neighbor, Mrs.
Lord, the well known woman who con
ducts religious services in the county
JAIL to his bed and said: tIhey say I
am going"to get well, but what is the
use. Something tells me l am going to
die. and the sooner the better. You will
get me a revolver. won't you! There is
one in the house and you can get it. 1
don't believe there IS anything wrong in
killing myself if 1 want to-.
NO, will not do that" replied Mrs
Lord, but 1 will do all can to help you
to get we'll"
He continued to beg piteously for a re-
volver, and told others that he might as
well be dead for he would never be him
self again
Mrs. Lord told the bows mother of her
sons condition, and told her if there was
a revolver in the house 10 let her take it.
Mrs. Adams said there was a revolver in
the house, but that it was in the bottom
of a trunk in another room and could not
be possibly found by Birch.
The mysterious part OF the story IS
told by the father, James \. Ad-
ans, as follows I'm the af-
ternoon Birch commenced to suffer
again and l concluded to go for the doc
tor. l was afraid he would get a revol-
yer, and l also thought that perhaps 1
would need it, so l went to the trunk Bnd
took it out aud put it in the inside pocket
of my coat When / came back it was
after o'clock, and / went over to the
bed and leaned over to talk with Birch
/ had been with him only a little while
when he said to me: Go and sit down
by the fire. father; want to be alone |
went and sat down before the CRATE, and
/ had been there only moment when l
was startled by pistol shot went to
the bed and Birch was lying with his
eyes wide open looking at me. He seem
ed to smile at me, but when l spoke to
him he did not answer, and he never
spoke again. He must have taken the
revolver from the inside pocket Of my
coat while 1 was bending over him, but l
knew nothing about it."
The bullet entered above and back of
the left ear and came out on the opposite
side of the head The young man lived
until after eleven o'clock but he was not
conscious at any time after the shot.
There were no powder burns on the
head which would have been the case if
the revolver had been held near the head
nor does the pillow show any signs of
powder burn. The bullet entered the
left side of the head.
The father had sent the boys mother
to bed and also sent home the neigh bors
and nephew of Mrs. Adams, T. J. Max
well. who was there said there was no one
in the room except the boys father when
the shooting took place. The first
man to arrive was John McCord and
1 Ar. Adams told him the same story that
he has since repeated to others The re-
volver was not in sight, however. and
when Mrs Adams asked him to get it he
found it in the bureau drawer.
/ Mrs William Bishop and Mrs. Lord
were summoned, and were there when
the boy died, but at no time did the
father lose his composure or tell differ
ent story
The revolver is Of the self-acting pat
tern, 3S-calibre. Two chambers were
empty when the weapon was found, but
the discharged shell had been taken
/ from one chamber.
The coroner was not summoned till
this morning and an inquest Is now being
held.
The family had only been living at
the present location little more than a
month The father is timer aud form
erly lived in North Topeka and worked
at bis trade. They spent part Of the
/ summer travelling with the invalid SON