Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1896-05-16
A. nj. $. HILGARD's SENSATIONAL
ENDING OF HIS YOUNG LIFE.
Shot Himself as He Leaned over the
Swift Wnters-A Love
Affair.


Nj. S. Hilgard. nephew OF Henry
Willard, one Of the best known. although
one of the youngest attorneys in Spokane,
committed suicide al an early hour Fri
day morning by shooting himself with
a revolver and then throwing himself from
the Post street bridge into the deep ana
swift current of the Spokane river.
HileArd's high social standing, his prom
thence in his profession, and the senSa-
tionaI manner of his selG-destrucuon,
make the suicide one of the most sensd-
tional in the history of Spokane. He was
highly connected and although still III ms
twenties had a legal practice that was
large and increasing.
OF German extraction, and highly con
nected, he had the confidence of leading
COMMUNICATIONS and firms VINO en-
trusted him with their legal business,
which he handled in the most satisfactory
manner. He was also resident attorney
of the Oregon Mortgage Company, whose
legal business occupied a large share OF
his time.
The pistol with which he shot himself
before dropping into the river belonged
to his friend and former roommate,
Thomas w. r. Willands, who committed
suicide by poison several months ago.
Wllands, it will be remembered, left a
note saying he had killed himself and
then disappeared, only to turn up again
a few days later sound and hearty. A
few weeks later, however. he committed
suicide by poison in his room. Hilgard.
who had been his roommate and friend.
took charge of his effects. and kept The
pistol, with which he ended his avn life.
The circumstances of Hilgard's death,
while largely circumstantia4, are believed
nevertheless, to be well authenticated.
His suicide is attributed to despondency
due to dissipation coupled with a love
affair. One story goes that the object oil
his affection was one of the best known
and most ot4,,o tive young ladies in Spo-
kane. Her father. it is said, had forbid
den her longer to receive Hilgards atten-
tions, and she wrote him a note few
DAYS ago to that effect. From that mo-
ment, it is believed, he resolved to end
his life.
The other story is that he was engaged
TO be married to his cousin by marriage,
a young widow now residing at Lewiston.
Idaho; that she had demonstrated against
his dissipated ways, and wrote letter
which he received yesterday, breaking
the engagement.
He had been dlssipating for several
DAYS. and had been under the care Of
p. G. Cough, who had been engaged by
friends of the young attorney to remain
with him and look after him. Hilgard
arose during Thursday night and Mr..
Cough permitted him to go a4one to the
nostofflce to mail some letters he hal
written, on his promise that he would
soon return. Mr.. Cough never saw him
again.
The Fatal Shot.
About las yesterday morning Officer
Parmeter and others heard a shot in the
vicinity Of the Post street bridge. The
officer thought from the eonnd that the
shot was fired in the neighborhood of the
Phoenix mill, near the intersection of
Post and Mill streets
After Hilgard left his room in the Col
den Gate block MI. Cough, being worn
out from his constant attention to his
charge, lay down in the bed and fell
asleep. On awaking and finding that Hill
gard had not returned he at once arose
and found a note on the table addressed
10 John Murphey, brother of A. M. Muir
phey, and marked Personal" Tearing
the note open ne found 1t to contain the
information that Hilgard intended to COM
init suicide.
Mr.. Cough telephoned to the police sta
ton, notified Mr.. Murphey, and a search
was begun for the missing man. No trace
was found until after O'clock when Of
Sicer Davenport, who was on his way to
his beat on the north side, found Hilgard' s
nat on the Post street bridge. Inside the
nat, stuck into the sweat band, was Hill
CARDS calling card, evidently placed there
Tor the purpose of Identification although
the hat was instantly recognized by all
who knew Hilgard.
An examination of the bridge showed
that the suicide had climbed over the