Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-11-24
Bullet Ends the Life of Richard ].
Mccarthy.
FOUND In The BATHROOM
Well-known Young Man of George.
town Commits Suicide.
DEATH ALMOST IMMEDIATE

Richard j. Mccarthy, a well-known
| young man of Georgetown, committed sui-
cide this morning by shooting himself in
] the head. at the residence of Mr. Henry
| Copperthite. the proprietor of the Connec-
| ucut Pie Company, at 1411 32d street. No
one was around when the fatal shot was
hred, though the young man had been
| seen In the bath by a colored servant but
Few seconds before the occurrence. Only
| one shot was fired, and that about $40
| O'CLOCK The aim was true and well di-
| ..;' ana the bullet pierced the brain,
| causing death soon afterward. BY means
| OF medical skill the wound was bandaged
| ana the flow of blood stopped prolong:ng
,!Ie uti uhtii Io''o. when the unfortunate man
| preatneo ms last. At no time after the
| ratai shot did the victim regain conscious
Tess, and though surrounded by friends
| ne passed away without saying a word.
| mere is no cause assigned TO the rash
| act, ana the friends of the deceased ara
| al loss to find some reason The theory
| is advanced that domestic troubles were AT
| @ @1ne pottom or the act, but this is denied
| Inc young man did not appear ar All de-
| spondent and was in comparafive ,ood
| heaith and spirits when last seen This
| ,iorhihg: Last evening he spent at the
1 hoine hi OF ms wife at ll36 2lst street and
| neins employed by the Connection pic
| Company he came over to work as nsu.I
he was a nephew of Mr. Coppert bite and
mad Tree access to his residence. The same
as as one on the family, the house adjoining
| The Fatal Shot.
1t was shortly after 8 O'clock when he
came over to town. He met a numnar &c
| acquaintances on the street and sno,,.
| Pleasantly to all. He met Mr. Con-
| perthlte near 32d and o streets and snolfe
| 70 MIN, and his employer was of the i'm
preston that Dick, as he was Familiarity
known, was i'm good spirits After Ieav
Ing Mr. Copperthite the young man entered
the residence and went to the bath room
~ was tnought that he was going TO take
patn before going to work, and nothing
was thought of the occurrence. The coll
ored servant girl, Eta O'Neill passed bv
the path room, and through the partly
1 open door saw Mr.. Mccarthy sitting on the
| edge of the bath tub. A few seconds
later the sound of a pistol shot echoed
| through the house A little daughter OF
Mr. copperthite was the first 10 reach
| the scene, and she saw Mccarthy doubled
| up. in corner In the bath room with
| blood flowing freely from his head. Right
| behind him was the colored servant bur
alarmed the household. Mrs. Copperthite
and the servant went back to the room and
picked the body up and placed IL in a sit
ting position while messenger was dis
patched for a doctor, but some delay was
experienced in finding one.
Policeman Short and Sergeant Haney
reached the room soon afterward.
The bath room in which the deed was
house and situated nearly in the center
of the building, with the window opening
| to the south. On the west wall there is a
small looking glass, and it is supposed that
the unfortunate young man stood facing
| this when he fired the fatal shot. The
pistol was directed short distance behind
| the right ear, and the bullet sped straight
| through the brain. After the shot had
been fired the body fell against the north
wall. the head striking the plaster just
above the baseboard. making a heavy IN
4 dentation, while blood splashed all around.
DIR. Appleby, who was summoned, arrived
before life was extinct, ard seeing that
| the shot was fatal did all in his power 10
maintain life and bring the unfortunate
man around to regain consciousness,
but to no avail. The concussion caused
! by the head striking the wall was thought
to have been sufficient to have rendered
the victim unconscious, and after lingering
in pain for over two hours the spark of
life went out.
Act Premeditated.
The young man had evidently premedi-
| tated the rash act The pistol with which
| the deed was done was a 32-caiber English
bull dog, with all five chambers loaded,
though only one shot had been fired. 1t
is thought that he had procured the pistol
some time yesterday, and had carried IL
with him. intending to end his existence at
the first possible moment. The police took
charge of the weapon, and carried IL to the
station house. So far as known; noth,ag h
| left behind to explain the cause OF his
rash act. r.
He had been a resident of the city for
about twelve years, and during that time
| a number of acouantances, who liked HIM
| for his mary good qualities, and all VINO
knew him, express regret for his rash ACT.
| He came to this city when the connecticut
Pie Company was organized, ana mas re-
mained in their employ ever since ADout
| seven years ago he was married TO Miss
Lizzie Gallagher, the daughter OF saloon
keeper in the first ward, and IL is stated
| that the marriage was not as happy as IL
| could have been. For the past three weeks
| the deceased had been living at the resi-
| dence of Mr.. Burroughs. at l42S 32d street.
being away from his wife. Prior to this, IL
is said he had been separated from his
spouse for a longer period Three chill
| dren are the result of his union, and these
lived with their mother. who remained
with her parents.
Last evening the victim visited his wife,
and remained at her house all night, COM
ing over to work in the morning, with the
revolver in his pocket. His wife learned of
( the shooting about half an hour after the
occurrence, and she made haste to his
side, but he did not recognize her. Her
grief was great but her husband was be-
yond all medical aid, and she was pros
trated when news of the death was told
her.
Coroner Notified.
The body was not taken out of the bath
room but remained there until viewed by
the coroner, to whom word had been sent
soon after death. The corpse was placed
out on the floor and covered with sheet,
while several intimate friends of the de-
ceased stood guard. The carpet was sat
urated with bhood near where the head of
the unfortunate man was resting, and sew
eral pillows were covered with matted
blood Seeing that the end was near, word
was sent to Trinity Catholic Church, and
Rev. Father William Seaman responded
Immediately, but the dying man too
far gone to understand what was going on.
Mccarthy formerly lived in New Haven,
Conn., until he came to this place. He
was nephew of Mr.. Henry Copperthite.
the proprietor of the company. His mother
and father live in New Haven, and were
notified by telegraph of his death. The de-
ceased also had four sisters and two BROTH
ers living at the same place. His age is
given as thirty years He was a whole
souled, good-hearted fellow, and was liked
| by all who knew him on account of his
many good traits. For some time past he
has been rather Respondent, but this MORN
ing he appeared TO be in better health than
ever. 1t is stated that only a short time
ago he attempted to end his life by turning
on the gas, though he was discovered in
time, and brought around. No arrange
| ments have as yet been made for the fu-
neral and possibly none will be until word
is received from his home.