Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1894-06-21
HON. E. L. CHAPMAN SUICIDES.
Without Moments Warning He Puts a
Bullet Through His Head.

the ones we love; that leads along am
bition's path TO highest aims and no
blest deeds; that unseen tissue. strong,
if rightly used, but easily broken when
e'er natures laws are disobeyed or ma
tufe's mechanism clogged by hand of
man or rusted and decayed by slow dis
ease, or wasting energy; this precious
something" that we all so love, is
broken by the ruthless act of one who
knew not what he did. a strong right
hand, sustained and nerved by des-
peration's agony, in one short moment
cut the vital chord that bound the soul
of E. L. Chapman to this busy world
and sent it on its last long journey to
the unknown world beyond.
TWO SHOTS.
At little after o. m. Wednesday
the 14th, people in the vicinity of the
First National Bank heard two pistol
shots following each other in quick
succession. Investigation disclosed the
fact that Hon. E. L. Chapman's life had
been snuffed out by one of the shots.
HOW DISCOVERED.
Frank Wilson, who was among the
first to rush to the bank building and
search for the cause of the shots, got
upon d chair and looked through the
transom over the back door of the
bank Its old man Cnapman-has
shot himself" !" was the Mortified remark
of Mr.. Wilson. The back door was
quickly forced open, at about the same
time that it was discovered that the
| front door to the bank was unlocked,
and inside of five minutes from the
time the shots were fired Doctors Maf-
fett, Blanke, Hess, Lightfoot and Con-
nett were at the side of the dying man.
! Their unanimous verdict was No hope
for life" All they could do was to
staunch the flow of blood. All the ag-
oniZed friends who quickly gathered
around could do was to watch the
breath come slower, and slower, the
eyes grow dim, the face take on the
pallow of the tomb.
After the bank had closed the bust
ness of the day, @. l.. Chapman, cashier
of the bank and son of deceased, had
prepared the bank mail to go out that
evening and had started to mali it
when his father, who was sitting at a
table in the private Office of the bank,
said he would mail the letters The
son laid the letters on the table and
went out, leaving the front door un-
locked, supposing that his father would
follow soon and lock up when he came
out. No thought had ever entered the
mind of anyone that Z. L. Chapman
contemplated the rash act of suicide.
HOW HE DID IT.
After directing letter which he was
writing when his son went out, and
placing it on top of a pile of other let
tiers on the Office table, Mr.. Chapman
had sat by the table, facing the east;
rested his right elbow on the table, in
his hand So calibre Smith & Wesson
revolve-; he had aimed the deadly
weapon with steady hand, holding it
not far from the right temple, and
pulled the trigger. This was the first
shot. The ball entered the right side
OF the head just in front Of and little
ABOVE the ear, passed through and
came out above the left ear about two
inches, the spent ball striking the cell
ing and dropping to the floor. Tht
second shot was doubtless the result Of
spasmodic action of the muscles, aftel
the first shot, and lodged in the ceilinl
J back of but out of line with the head
The right hand had dropped to the ia
Bile, still graspiDg the pistol, and tn,
left hand hung loosely by the side
while the head dropped back and restet
on the back of the chair. Thus he wa
found.
WHY DID HE DO IT?
, Great heavens. Why did he do it,
, This was the question on the lips o
everyone, and it remained unanswered
} until letters were found addressed t.
his son and to others, showing that I
! diseased mind had prompted the deed
: Much that was in these letters shoul,
AORt " IAC eaAAAOlC0
Allthat was in them indicated beyOn'
doubt that MIR. Chapman was labor
, ing under hallucination tbat mus
! have been terrible to contemplate. S
: far as we have been able to learn, hi
business is IN good shape, and lif
should have held many charms 10
him. The burden of his letters was
} that he was pursued by crimes he hat
not committed; that pitfalls were beini
. dug for him; that his friends had de
serted him and that those who harbore'
) him were summed and disgraced
With everything about him that shoult
/ have made him happy and eontented
; he still was pursued by such agonizini
thoughtsi 1t was hoTriblei
A SUCCESSFUL LIFE.
: E. L. Chapman was born in England
; in August, 1887. His parents diet
while he was quite young, He cams
to America when he had attained his
growth, and settled at point nea