The evening times., 1896-02-06

John Shea, employed for almost a quar-
ter OF century In various offices of Tho
War Department, and last u S1.4oO clerl
In the record ard pension division. com
mitted SUICIDE at 1912 O'Clock this morn
Ing in the toilet room at the northeast
corner OF the second floor of the State.
War and Navy building.
He sent bullet from q 32-caliber re.
voiver through the right temple and ex.
pired minute afterward. without for an
instant regaining consciousness
Mr. Shea boarded at the house of Mrs,
LaDsdale, No. 2153 Penns yiyania ave-
nue., while his Wife, from whom he had
been long time separated, lived at No.
SoS NJ street. Shea did not seem unusually
despohdcnt, although he was always a {. uiet
ana reserved man, his fellow w-bo arders
say, wien he left home this morning He
was seen no more until he nleIed the s tai q
| War and Navy building.
| He had been away without leave from,
his desk since the beginning OF the UIesent
| month, so when he returned several ac-
| quaintances greeted him as he entered the
| building. He said no more than 10 PASS
the time or day with each.
THE LAST TO SEE HIM.
When he assembled the stairs to the sec
| ond floor he turnei bis left an I was in;ne-
diately behind the lattice door OF the toilet
/ room. only one man saw him enter. He
| was X. +. Fortune OF No. 1918 Eleventh
street messenger, who recognized him.
| ana who was the last to see him alive.
Not two minutes later Mr.. Fortune heard
| the sharp report or a revolver coming from
the close as ne stood in the cofrItior, and
a second later Mr.. Percy Israel OF No. 1 327
r.a,.t
'soineDody's shot himself,- he exclaimed.
excitedly.
Fortune at once notified George W. Pratt,
chief OF the record and pension division
When the latter entered the toilet room
ne saw shea with his eyes closed and a ter
rioie, gaping wound in the right temple,
leaning MS head against the right partition
Oh the Closet There Were half Gozen
small spots OF blood on the wall behind him
and a little splOtch Of crimson near him
A messenger Lelrcd 10 carry the selr-mur-
dcrer out into the corridor, where he was
laid under an open window. Before he had
been placed on the floor, however, IL was
evident that life was extinct and the spot
where he rested rctna lined to be marked bv
a circular pool Of blood, while spots of the
yermiuon fluid ON the white and bIa OK tile
flooring marked the pat he had been car
ried.
THE OFFICIALS ACTION.
Theaitendanis then carried him into Room
No. eco, where he had worked SO long. and
Coroner Hamme,t was notified.
While the body lay on the floor in the
room the news spread. and soon clerks from
all the neighboring divisions and a small
corps OF reporters filled the corridors.
Further thar that a man had been shot the
reporters could for long time learn moth
ing. and the long line Of red tape. that
finally ties up in itself. Characteristic OF
the War Department, was beautifully Illus
trated.
Mr.. Pratt was asked by the reporters
for information.
Il know very little about it." You'u
have to'see Afr. Jacob Freck." said he
We can tell you nothing" said Mr.. Freck
when applied to- go To Gen. Doe, the
assistant secretary"
The reporters went to that gentleman.
expecting To be sent next to the President.
only to be referred to the Senate in turn.
Why, don't know anything about II, -
said Gen Doe. Go back to the office
where he works"
Col Ainsworth was next applied to, and
he kindly gave orders for Mr.. Pratt to tell
the story OF the tragic affair.
Coroner Hammctt quickly decided that an
autopsy was unn ecessafy, decia red IL was a
In Sh >>n pocket were two icttcrs-one to
ms wife. aifectionate in terms. ard one to
Mr. Pratt. He left q note as king J. c.
KEEPER, clerk. TO deliver tho letter to his
wife.
Everything went TO show that he had
grown despondent AMI tired of life
As stated. he did not live with his wife
They had been in court. but were not Gi-
yorced, and ne had to pay her $40 a month
The last ka t1nil is
January.
That is the last you'n ever get" he is al
legged TO have told his wife.
HIS FAREWELL LETTER.
He didn't pay the last tine he drew
lis money, but went away and got drunk.
His wife appeared before Gen. Doe and
asked him to do something. That very day,
1t is said. Shea left his desk without leave.
He was man OF medium build, fifty
nine years old snd had very heavy, gray
lsh red nustache. He was a solder and |
enlisted i'll the regular army. May 1858. |
He served in the Civil war on the Union |
;ide and was commissioned a sergeant |
September 8, 1870.
1he .etter written to Mr.. Pratt was |
lated January 4, but il is thought probable
t was intened to be February. 1t read
is follows:
Washington, D. c., Jan. 4. 1896
'Mr. G. W. Pratt.
Dear SIr: To you and the others OF my
riends in the office 1 desire to state that
im tired OF living, and now propose to end
ny lrouDies and not only propose it, but VIII
10 IL.
bid all the boys goodbye for me. If
ave offended any one of them ask par
lon. / always aimed 10 be right, but was
infor unately many times wrong. not with
ntent, but because the flesh is weak
ike all the boys, aud you like me.
But now that does not matter. All such
uesiiors with me are settled. Goodbye. |
cd bless you as fear he will no, do to
JOHN SHEA"
THE WORDS TO. HIS WIFE.
The letter addressed to Mrs. Shea mere
y stated the disposition the husband wished
made of his remains, ard fully exonerated
er from any blame in the family troubles
hat had nIarred their married life.
He asked her to forgive him for all he
lad done.
We have no. lived together for three
ears" said Mrs. Shea. who was almost
yerrome with prieI when Sn,. was seen !