Great Falls weekly tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1894-1???, 1895-05-10
KILLED HIMSELF
simon jacobs, Butte's Retiring City
Treasurer. Shoots Himself
Because
he WAS A DEFkUlTER
Was Supposed to Be a Model Young
Man-City Treasurer Continu-
ously Eiaht Years.

house this morning. These were the
| words that Mortified the citizens of Butte
about noon today. Simon Jacobs, re-
firing city treasurer, a man whom every
body esteemed, the son of the first mayor
of Butte and a member Of a highly re-
spectable family, had indeed committed
suicide. 1t was about ll-W today when
a resident of the westeide, near Missoula
+ pulch, called at the sheritf's office and
stated that he had found the body of a
man in the Anselmo shaft house, near
the gulch. He said he had heard a shot
fred about 8 o'clock this morning in that
direction, but as several parties are
accustomed to discharging tirearms in
that locality he paid no attention to the
matter. He walked over to the shaft
house shortly after IL o'clock and en-
tered the old blacksmith shop which
has not been used for several months.
Over in the northwest corner he saw a
body laying on the ground. The face
WAS covered with blood SO that he
llI fOt IcCOR uIIO tIb 49,
ascertainipg that there was no lifein the
body he went to the sheriifs Office.
| Sheriff Reynolds and Deputy Geary, &C
companied Coroner Richards to the
place. The sheriff entered first. He had
accompanied the coroner more for
curiosity than for anything else and eX-
pected to find the body of some poor
tramp who had grown weary of life. At
the first glance he did not recognize the
features as the body was lying on its left
side with the left arm under the face.
There was a bullet hole in each
temple. After turning the body over
the first object that attracted the sher-
ifs attention was an emblem of the
mystic shrine on the left lapel of the
coat. "My God! its Simon Jacobs"
said Mr.. Reynolds. The body was at
once removed to the undertakers while
the startling intelligence spread
like wildfre throughout the city.
Knots Of men gathered on every
street corner and discussed the hor-
rible affair. "Why did he kill himself::'
was the universal query. He was the
last men in the world | should suspect
of having designs on his life" said one.
Simon Jacobs was considered a model
young mar in every respect. SO far as
the public knew he had no bad habits.
He did not gamble or drink. what,
then. was the motive for the deed:" said
everybody. The fact that the new city
administration takes hold this evening
and that Jacobs had sent in his report
for his term of Office this morning ga 70
rise to many unpleasant rumors, which
may or may not be true. His friends
throughout the city were 10th to be-
lieve that he was short in his accounts.
If he was short, what did he do with the
money? His friends argued that it was
owing to the illness of his relatives that
he was prompted to commit the deed.
His mother was very i'll; his two
brothers, julius and Emanuel, were
both confined to their rooms This 30
pre-, ed on his mind, said his friends that
he resolved to end his life. 1t is
likely, however, that causes like these
would have such an effect on ii young
man like Jacobs. 1T has been noticed
that during the past few weeks Jacobs
lost a good deal of mis- accustomed cheer
fulness. While not morose he showed a
decided inclination to avoid his friends
N,o%rI,u kn hid on aunonon,anf with
John Cannon. the nature of which the
latter would not disclose. but it is be
lieved it was something relating to his
troubles, Jacobs confessed to Cannon
that he was in trouble and a meeting
Was arranged for this morning. Jacobs
however, failed to keep the appointment
for at the hour set for the meeting he
was lying cold in death. So far as known
Jacobs left no written statement OF hit
reasons for ending his life, and until /
thorough examination of his books is
made his defalcation. il any exists, vii
not be known. He is supposed to have
about 100000 in the First National bank
of this city, and the shortage is %variousl,
estimated at from $1,000 to $4,000
He could have easily secured this
amount from any of his friends in thi|
city had he asked for it. Until recent.
he had been depositing the city funds
with Clark Bros, but a few months agt
transferred the money to the First Ma
tionaI bank. The officials of the Firs
National bank are not, nor were the.
ever, his bondsmen, az reported on the
street today. His bondsmen for the LAS
term we're H. L. Frank, John O'Rourke
W. P. Groynn, and the amount OF tn
bond $l5O,OO0.
The deceased had served three term
and has been city treasurer continuousl,
since 1889. He also conducted a gents
furnishing store at the corner of MAR
and Park streets, and was supposed t