Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1896-05-15
HE DIED IN HIS PRIME
A. NJ. $. HILGARD'S SENSATIONAL
ENDING OF HIS YOUNG LIFE.
Shot Himself ms He Leaned Over the
Swift Waters-A Love
Affair.

| Spokane. Wash, May 9.-(SpeciaD-A.
NJ S. Hilgard. nephew of Henry
| Willard, one of the best known. although
J one of the younges; attorneys in Spokane,
committed suicide at an early hour FRI
| day morning by shooting himself with
revolver and then throwing himself from
\ the Post street bridge into the deep and
| swift current of the Spokane river.
Hilgard's high social standing, his prom
inence In his profession, and the sensa-
| tional manner of his self-destruction,
| make the suicide one of the most sensa-
tional in the history of Spokane. He was
| highly connected and although still in his
| twenties had a legal practice that was
| large and increasing.
or German extraction, and highly con-
nected. he had the confidence of leading
COMMUNICATIONS and firms who 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.
Willands. it win 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.
| phar of off lar ba
| pistol, with which he ended his avn life.
The circumstances of FIilgard's DEATH
| while largely circumstantial. are believed,
| nevertheless. to be well authenticated.
| His suicide is attributed to dependency
| due to dissipation coupled with a love
| affair. One story goes that the object of
| his affection was one of the best known
| and most o..~artive young ladies in Spo-
| kane. Her father, 1t is said had forbid
den her longer to receive Hilgard's atten-
| lions, and she wrote him a note a few
days ago to that effect From that mo-
| ment, 1t 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 disspated ways. and wrote a letter
| which he received yesterday. breaking
| the engagement.
| He had been disspating 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 aione to the
postoffice to mail some letters he hal
ha
| soon return. Mr.. Cough never saw him
again.
The Fatal Shot.
About AS yesterday morning Officer
Parmeter and others heard a shot in the
vicinity of the Post street bridge. The
officer thought from the sound 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
to John Murphey, brother of A. NJ. Muir
phey, and marked Personal" Tearing
the note open he found it to contain the
information that Hilgard intended to COM
nit 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
ficer Davenport, who was on his way to
his beat OF the north side, found Hilgards
hat on the Post street bridge. Inside the
hat. stuck into the sweat band. was Hill
for 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
south railing of the bridge, and his foot
prints could be seen both inside and out
side the railing. He had evidently held on
to the railing with one hand and with
the other shot himself, the body nat
urally falling into the river
There is little doubt that the body went
over the dam few yards below and then
over the lower falls. From the point
where he stood when he fell from the
bridge the body would have escaped the
eddy just above the dam. Pieces of wood |
We're thrown into the river yesterday |
from the point where he stood and were |
at once carried over the dam. The lungs |
being full of air when he struck the |
water 1t Is reasoned that the body would |
have been carried some distance before
sinking, and in any event the current is
suilciently strong to have carried the
body over the dam.
Hllgard was a handsome young man, a
blonde, slight in build, and was exceeding
" popular in social circles, having en-
rance to the best society in the city He
was of sunny disposition. and was ap-
'arently always in good humor, having a
mile for all with whom he came in con-
act 1t is said that he received a remit
ance of 500 from his mother a few days
go, but sent it back, saying he would
lot need 1t.
Hilgard came TO Spokane about five |
ears ago from Belleview. Ill. where his
'arents reside. They were notified by
vire of his disappearance and told to
'repare for the worst