The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1894-10-08
TOOK HIS OWN LIFE
DIR. Giddings Commits Suicide
in a Horrible Manner.
INSANITY HAD SEIZED HIM.
"a. os pyaxs Unhfngsd Hfs Mad and
Caused D~Iusians which lea 10
ssIf-pesfraetien-

Dr.. william r. Gsddings. one cfthe most
rra,asuxnt dsntssts IN the city and ex-
president Of the State Dentai AssoclatioH-
eoraratt.es suicide Yesterday morning be-
tween tue noars OF ? ard O'Clock IN his
finely furnished of53ce 81 the Barxs block
~, second street or bgo~ing Off the entire
left side Of his head xitil l0gaage Psf
ker sl,otxun. He placed the muzzie Of the
niece In his nsauth. and when the shot went
of blood ard brains we're scattered over
the ceiling and three sails 81 the room
The doctor vas seaEshy, had a beautiful
home on Qaeea Anne hill. bat lacked
health. Many Of his friends noticed dur
ing the uast few months that his actions
wer. often peculiar, and it VAS whispered
around that he was breaking down from
oyerwork. THIS nas ma de painfully evl-
dent By his smaciatsd appearances and
Ianses Of memory Trivial things became
mountains in s4ss estimation. and the rif-
fes OF an ordinarily pleasant home lie
earsed him 70 think his wife was cold TO
him. This morbid idea caused him 20
leave & letter Representing his wife FOR max
ing home life unpleasant, W hen bis most
intimate friends can testify 70 her constant
devotion snd affection.
Yesterday morning about O'Clock d
L. shufsiston, agent of the Burke block,
and Aibers Barnes. the electrician OF the
buiiding went to DIR. Giddings' offices IN
accordance with en- agreement made with
the doctor last Thursday 10 substitute
electric for gas fixtures. DIR. Glddings
Offices were on the Second street side and
consisted OF suite Of three rooms ele-
gantly furnished. Mr.. shufiietoD.entered
the frat. known AZ the reception room, BY
means OF his pass key. and then passed
through the operating room to the iabora-
tory. or work room. The sight that met
his eyes caused him To exclalm invoun-
tariiy:
MY God DR.. Giddings Is deadf'
His companion ran forward 10 see what
eausei the exclamation, and together the
two men looked upon the bsoodiest sight
imaginable. The room looked ike
slaughter house. with human being for
the victim. No matter where the eye
rested there was blood aud brain matter
The body Of DR.. Giddings lay stretched at
full length. face down. in the southeast
corner of the room, with shotgun under
him. The entire left side of his head was
missing. and by looking into the cavity
one could see the spinal column. Blood
n81 IutHt4 tEUsA tiS kay4h4 WIN nat -
water jst, and covered the carpet in large
circle. In the midst of the clotted gore
lay what was left of DR.. Giddings' head.
His left hand Was under him and the right
extended, resting on the floor in his lifs's
blood. The walls and ceiling OF the room
we're q horrible sight. aud If one IN
acquainted with the explosive power of
shotgun NJ short range had seen the
spattered walls and ceiling he would
have thought ten mems brains and
blood would not have covered more
space.
Ia the ceiling. ut point in direct line
with the body, but some distance back
from the feet. Was big hole made By the
charge Of shot: foot or so distant was
another abrasure in the pissteriug made
By large piece of skull bone that had
been carried along by the charge. The
force VAS sufficient 90 knock off the plaster
ing. after v hieh the bone fell To the floor.
On the door were several shot shells and
between the windows was an open shell
case from which they bad been taken.
As soon as Mr.. Snufileion had taken .
survey Of the awful sight he ran to DIR. L.
X. Dawson's Office, next door, and asked
him for assistance. The doctor rushed IN.
bat one glance was enough To tell him
thas the man was dead. lie felt OF his
flesh and found il apparently slightly
warm. which IL accounted for by the un-
usually high temperature of the room.
produced by steam heat and burning gas.
1T VAS EVIDENTLY SUICIDE.
Coroner Horton was called, but as he
was at Kent holding post mortem on
the body OF Sels Peterson. Deputy Coroner
Greene responded. The body was turned
over. and on examination 1t was evident
that the murzls of she gun had been placed
ia the doctors mouth aud fired while be
was standing. "buxEer" stood close TO
his head, and IL is thought he rested the
butt Of the gun ON II and leaned forward
when be pulled shs trigger. The right
barrel was the one that had been fired and
the lett held fresh shell loaded with No
sshol In the fall piece had been broken
from the shoulder rest OF the gun.
The doctor bad been working late, for
on top Of the case in which the shells were
found was a piece OF work called gold
bridge building. His hat lay close at
hand and stubs of cigars, one in fine
holder. were scattered about one office
coat hung on a screen at the back of the
room. and another, made like Norfolk.
was worn by the doctor.
No clue to the cause OF the deed was
found until Deputy Coroner Greene looked
on the work table at the south side of the
room. There he found several sheets of
writing paper. Puget Sound National
bank check book and an unsealed letter
addressed 70 Mrs. piddpEs. Greene ex.
amined IL and told Dr. Dawson that there
va. no mere doubt in bis mind about the
case. IL vas simple suicide. The news Of
the suicide was carried 20 nr. and Mrs
Gladings friends in the different parts Of
the city by messengers.
HIS WIS KKcKIvKs rRK sxws
Mrs. Glddings was attending services at
taa First Presbyterian church, corner Of
Fourth aud Spring streets. unconscious of
tie clCui lowering over her aud her enild
No onc PAID any atteatioa 10 tAe usher
who walked RAPIDLY ua The aisle aud asked
Mrs oi3daaxs 10 step out into the hail.
All unconscious of the shock to come. she
ohr Fed tie call sad wAs Hael hv James,
I.eday. Who represents Dr. Glddiuss in
legal matters. The news vas broken u
her easily a. possible, but tha hlow.
tempered As IL ~ss ~iEh mercy. deprived
her OF eonselousnsss, czrrlavs Vas i'm
raealatelv called aud Mr.. 6AlinFs was
taken TO Mr.. Leidy's residence N Vest
aud Vac stEeesS As soon as she r.c,v.
cred slightly che as taken 70 Der heaut1-
fag acme on the top eG 0aesn Amaze htH.
n. Montgomery Rasssil was tn attend.
auce ali day. ana maay Of Ms. Glaasnes'
women friends we're a. the bedside Wien
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