The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-04-25
TO AVOID 4 WRONG.
Suicide of a Man Who Loved
Too Well to Marry.
HE POWDERED ALL DAY OF IT
Adam Gehm. After a Discussion ot
seif-Murdsr, Takes His Life 10
save His Conscience.

Adam Gehrn. wood chopper from Car
oonado. VINO is well known in Snohornish
committed suicide al lodging house
kepS oy &. @. ". Anderson. 80 Fifth
street. last night about u o'cl0ck ~
shooting himself through the abdomen
and BRAN from a point behind the right
ear WITH brand-new &s-calibre Colts r.
NolEsF. The S~ooting was done in small
single room, and IN order 70 an9 out what
had occurred the detectives we're conf
PEELED 20 break in the door. The cause OF
this determined suicide seems to have
been that Gehm was in love. had an op-
portunity 10 marry a girl, bat owing 70
MS physical condition had scFuples about
doing so.
Gehm attempted suicide at snohoulsh
about I'VE years ago on account OF dis
ease that was wracking bis system.
Gehm was Bavarian. and had been in
this state about eight years. He was an
honorable fellow and very fOrtueate in
securing work. lie was Well known al
stlmson's logging camp and also AZ Ever
EFT. but for some time has lived at Car
bonado. lie came 10 this city from Ia
coma, FOR he had the cards OF The Rhein
hotel. corner Of jefferson and Twenty
fifth streets. lie had money and was
liberal with IT,
Yesterday afternoon about o'clock Jo-
seph Becker. who works ia the Port
Blakeiey mill. on going 10 the wharf TO
90 home. found Csehm on the edge OF the
wharf In attitude OF deep thought.
They went up town and had a drink. with
the result that Becker lost his boat. so
they went back TO the saloon and had
several more drinks.
After supper the conversation turned
10 suicide. and Gehm asked:
Did You see anything about the sui
cides al Tacoma asked Gehm. Becker
replied that he did not know much about
them. but thought that a man was a d
fool who would do such n thing. Then
Gehm told him about having tried 10
kiiI himself at SnoD0A4~-. four or FIVE
years ago on account of a DISEASE, bat
that his friends grabbed the revolver
and took II away from him. From this
he drifted 10 the matter that was evil
IDENTITY next 10 his heart. and said that
he had a chance 70 marry a girl. but that
he Vas incapacitated from maintaining
the relations of husband 10 wife. and felt
that he could not be so base as TO deceive
her. During all the talk. a considerable
portion Of which was about religion. Gehm
being a Lutheran and Becker Catholic
the former never said a word to Indicate
that he intended self-destruction.
Finally about 9.f5 o'clock they took
rooms az Mr.. AndeTsou's lodging
house. very respectable place.
Becker on the floor above. As Gehm
went into his room Becker said:
Good night Adam. We vii have plenty
Of time tomorrow 20 talk over ca times.
Cehm closed the door AMI lnrFrf g. Mr..
Anderson then showed t. kfr 90 the
closet prior 20 takiuE hiH O. his room.
and before he had E0ttfn ready 90 20
downstairs heard two sharp pistol re-
ports In rapid succession from the room
occupied by Gchm.
Mr. Anderson ran 20 tho room and
could smell burnt powder lie tried the
door. but II was Looked. Then he called
hut received no answer. Running down
stairs he asked some Of the people in
the office TO go for a policeman. bat they
Gii not Seem to relish the job. lie then
blew "a police whistle and Detectives
CuGihec Phlhrlck. Williams and Wells
quickly responded
Phlhrlck hurst IN tho door AMI there
on the Noor before them lay the dead
body OF Adam Gehm. his head in pSl
az blood and a new colts revolver close
TO his right hand. Two chambers were
empty Near AZ hand was iittlr paper
sack 81 which the officers thought the
F,ttlets had been held and in another part
or tho room was another paper. shoWir@
platrtly the imprint Of the gun. on tne
conmoie was larke tack-knife. open but
sowing no signs 81 blood
chief Of Police Rogers was soon on the
scene followed later by Coroner Askam
Together they searched the body AMI
examined the wounds. That in the head
Was fouud directly back % the right car
and from this the blood had spurtei that
made she h'g pool on The floor. In his
abdomen close 10 tho navel. and "A little
above. was the other wound. which went
clear through his body and came out
above the lcft hip bone Coroner Askam
found the bullet between the under ard
over shirts II was evident from The
poader-hurut condition of Gehm's shirt
tina: ha lad bold the muzzlc Of the gun
very close a. his ho3y. This shot. 70
course. would probably have caused
death itself hut II was the one in the
head that settled the matter Instantly
This IS a love affair sure sat3 chief
Rogers ard 'hcu he took from Gehm~S
inside ,ot' pocket three slips of PAGER
on which were the songs We Never
Speak AS We rass BY" ans AFTER tee
Eau is over" Coroner Askau facn
Drought forth "a silver watch "a BARTON
ana 81 70 in silver. THE body was then
taken go Butterworih's undertaking
rooms
Joseph Becker later tcli tho story Of
tiehtu's fternoou and evening doinrs
Cehu was born a. EsIScrslaUiern. Pa
varta about 80 years sso. II" has lived
I'm this country thirteen wears He f-ss
200 other relatives lu this country shan
an uncle. ana his wbsres bouts arr uu-