The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-09-23
\ SHOT IN THE HEART
Leander Hibhard Found Dead
in His Chair,
WITH A GUN LYNN AT HIS FEET
Had Disagreed With His Wife-An Old
soldier Who Had Long Been In
well-No Cause for suicide.

Leander Hibbard a veteran of the war
and a man who has stood high in the In
dependent Order OF Foresters and the
Knights Of Pyth!as, was found sitting in
a chair in the little building at the north
east corner Of Front and Bell streets yes
terday afternoon az $50 o'clock with gun
shot wound through his heart, the front
of his shirt badly burned, his flesh scorch-
ed and blood sprinkled over his clothes and
on the floor. Close at hand lay an old
fashioned double-barreled shotgun and
ramrod and cleaning rod. The shooting
took place at 1890 o'clock Friday night.
but as 10 whether ii was accidental or
deliberate suicide has not Yet been con-
clusively determined. There had been a
slight disagreement between Mr.. and Mrs.
Hibbard. but not of such a nature as 10
cause an arrangement, or one that would
call for suicide.
Mr.. Hibbard was aged 43 years, and dur
ing his lifetime had held responsible posi-
lions in the lumber business in Canada
and British Columbia. When he was SUI
perintendent of the Rainy Lake Lumber
Company he married Miss Rose Duggan.
woman who was worthy TO be his COM
panion for life. About three years ago in
British Columbia. Hibhard was exposed
for many hours in working 10 save two
loads Of shngle bolts that were cast adrift
by the overturning of scows. His lungs
became diseased, and since then ne has
never been we'll For over year he has
been unable to do any work at all.
Occasionally he went fishing, and re-
Gently hunted 10 some extent. as one of
his friends gave him an oidfashioned,
muZzle-l0ading 6ouble-barreled shotgun.
The H.bbards have been living since last
spring in the house where George Gates
computed suicide about three weeks ago.
Mr.. Hubbard said at that time that he
thought it a very foolish proceeding.
"Wednesday Mr.
s2i pension money and also small sum
for some piles that he had picked up
along the water front. Ii was Mrs. Hib-
bard's desire that the money should be
used in the house, but Mr.. Hubbard wanted
TO open a saw-filing shop at the corner of
Front and Bell streets, and so he followed
his inc.inations. He fitted up the little
building that had been used as a shoe
shop, and took possession. Friday noon
he was at the family home, and left some
salmon he had caught in the bay. That
was the last time either his wife or two
children saw. him alive He went away in
good spirits and without uttering any Pc
culiar words.
At 10:S0 o'clock the same night officer
Thorn was standing on Front street, be-
tween Bell and Blanchard when he heard
a report 1t sounded as II some one had
thrown down a box. He made a tour of
inspection, and passed Hibbard's house.
liver ming was quiet, anu the curtains
were down. The sound was not that of a
rife or pistol, so the officer concluded
that nothing serious had happened Yes
terday afternoon some children were com
ing down Bell street. and one of them
pushed another against the door Of Hib-
lords house. II opened partly. The
ck$lren went on. \ moment later Charles
Ward, who works at the White Star
steam laundry, on Second street. near
Bell. came along, and saw through the
door man sitting in a chair. his back
TO the door, apparently asleep. Ward
stopped and looked a second time. The
mans eyes were CLASSY The man is
dead" said Ward to himself. and he lost
no time in telephoning to police head
quarters.
Coroner Askam arrived in a short time.
and Glowing MS way through a crowd
that had collected. entered the room. The
dead man sat in an office chair, his head
leaning backward and his hands in his
lap. II it had not been for the gun on
the floor. the hole over the heart the
burned shirt and flesh. and the blood a
person would have thought the man had
fallen asleep The wound was just 2l5
inches, 10 the left OF the Sternun between
the fifth and sixth ribs and had an up
ward course. The wound itself was com
paratively small. and the powder had
set fire 70 the clothing. II was evident
that the fire had gone out OF its own ac-
cord. but not until the flesh in parts had
been scorcbed
on the floor lay the old-fashioned shot
gun. IT'S bu.t about twelve inches out
from the mans right foot The gun lay
at nearly rigd,-Gngi to the feet ParaI-
lei to the gun lay the ramrod and clean
ing rod, whiCtl had a fresh, unused piece
Of flannel or IL. Tire right barrel Of the
gun was loaded hut the left had been dis
charged. oil bad recently been put on
The gun. and on a table within reach OF
the dead man was a bottle OF sweet oil
and an open pocket knife Everything
in the room was in order, and the fittings
We're entirely new on the wall We're
silver watch ard clock.
The coroner looked high and low for
note that would explain the case but moth
ing was found. The nan d.d not have
cent. ard the only papers found related 70
secret societies. In an adjoining room was
a trunk. but the coroner did not hreaE il
open. M one seemed O. know the dead
man or anything about him. so TIE coroner
had the body removed 10 the Seattle Tn
dertaking Tooms. whore il was ideutfed
later in the evening by Attorney William
Jackson and one of the Hibbard bows An
inquest viii be held this morning at II
o'clock.
Mrs HbaarI said last evening that II
Mr.. Hhhard had not left any message p
great iCad was lifted from her mind. be-
cause it was probable that he might have
killed himself accidentally u MAS evident
that she vas suffering greatly from the
shock
Tean8er Hitbara was born near Uoston
Mass fGe took part in the civil war. ana
2fter fh1t went into the lumber business
Atone t.rue be VS. p 7vell-6nonn ulrr- hant
ir Winnipeg. Later ne lived "a NancoI-
ve- and prior 10 coming 80 Seattle lived
az AFnafeeU. where - worked for "a Nr
Af-Ilf.. Iie slso worked "a saH tIef for
tae Brown Sa.uEle Company III Wicker
$ am. iie was KutEs- % Ptthias and
also Forester IN wHtch orfC- ho had the
81 Ms - Geputy supreme chief r-1Ee- con-
ferrc5 by the supreme chief ranger. Croa-
tratskh7 II ad1'flo1 tn a " dow ne
leaves two sons. John. aged 9. and Beaia-
min aged :.
Tbs northeast corner Of Bell and F-oat
streets has a record for fatalities ~ this
corner A0s.ln Bell was found dead about
seven years aga. and about three years
ago James Greene. real estate man. vas
found 6ead N the same locality.
The MODERN
I ARop-SANI%3