Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-04-18
DEATH RESULTED.
Ben. Wright's Wounds Prove Fatal
This Morning.

Ben. F. Wright, the man who shot him
yesterday morning, died at the Emergency
Hospital at o'clock this morning as the
result Of his self-inficted wounds. Yester-
day afternoon the physicians in attendance
decided that his wounds were of a prob
ably fatal nature, and advised his removal
to the hospital. This suggestion was fol-
lowed, and the injured man was taken
from his brothers residence, on 10th street
near o, at about 4:30 o'clock. He failed
steadily through the night, ard, though
retaining consciousness, continued to sink
Until his death this morning He was in
great pain at times, but did not once speak
regretfuliy of his act. He told the physi-
clans during the afternoon that he had
first fired four or five shots into his left
breast in the region of the heart, but feel
ing no immediate effects from the balls he
concluded that the thickness of his outer
garments had caused them to defect He
therefore removed his coat and vest and
oeEberately placed the muzzle of the thirty
two-calbeI PISTOL that he was using
against his abdomen and firedsthe ball thai
finally caused his death. 1t was found
that 1t had traversed the bowels and had
caused six punctures. There were six shots
found IN all, Wright having emptied his
pistol of all the charges
IN MS pockets were found several papers,
among them letter TO his wife, from
whom he has been separated now about a
year That has been delivered to her. and
Its contents are not known Another note
was for his brother, Mr.. John Wright, and
told him that the shooting was his own
deed. He begged his brother to blame no
one for the deed. but to understand that
the wounds were self-infiicted.
He made no direct statement to explain
the cause of his act. but said enough at
times to lead those around him to believe
that he took his life in nit of despond-
ency, partly caused by his separation from
his Wife and partly on account of the loss
or his position In the government printing
office, from which he was discharged last
summer His brother, the undertaken
soon after that event, set him up in the
little cigar stand that he kept in the nook
Just west of 9th street on Pennsylvania
avenue, but he did not recover from the
grief of losing the place he had held for
so many years. So far is known he
was moderately successful in his business,
and made enough to support himself well.
His wife maintained herself by taking
boarders. Two of their sons are in the
west at school, where they were sent by
Mr. John Wright, who has had charge of
them for several years. There are two
other sons. ungrown, and they are with
their mother
Mrs. Wright and these boys were with
the injured man most of the time after
the discovery of his body. 1t was ascer-
tanned that Wright must have been con-
templating this act for some days, for
he has said many things that now, in the
light of the suicide, show that he had been
turning the matter over in his mind On
Monday he babe his brother goodbye as
he left the house in the morning. He
breakfasted there as rule, and this fact
was commented upon by the brother at
the time.
Coroner Hammett visited the Emergency
Hospital just before noon today and after
viewing the body and hearing the state
ments of the physicians who attended
Wright decided that there was no doubt
that it was aecase of suicide. and so de-
clared that an inquest was unnecessary.
He directed that certificate of death by
suicide be made out. The body was later
turned over to Mr.. John Wright for in
terment.