The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1896-09-17
TOOK ONLY FIVE MINUTES FOR
HENRY O. JONES TO DECIDE TO
SHOOT HIMSELF,


last Friday by Henry c. Jones oI
Wyoming as he kissed his four small
children goodbye and then sent a
bullet through his abdomen.
Mr.. Jones was bookkeeper for ]. A.
Hutchins & Co., at the terra Gotta
works, was one of the most prominent
citizens in Wyoming and was well
known all over this section. Last
month he was 4S years of age. His
home relations were of the most pleas
ant nature, in fact to all appearances
they were unusually happy, and the
only reason that can be given for this
deed is some uncomfortable and sud
den impulse that took hold of his
mind.
During the day he worked as usual,
and no one saw anything strange
about his actions, neither was he less
cheerful than usual. In the evening
when he retired from work he con-
versed pleasantly with his wife and
children and spent part of the time
reading. Soon after seven o'clock he
went upstairs and called his four small
| children into his room. He fondly
kissed them goodbye and used the
words above quoted and then sent
them out of the room.
A moment later a report was heard
and when his wife rushed to his side
he was reclining upon the bed, and
blood was flowing rapidly from hole
in his abdomen. He had used a
small but powerful rifle, the mouth of
which he placed against the right side
of his abdomen. The bullet plough
ed its way through the intestines and
came out of the left side of the abdo-
men, just above the hip, and imbed-
ded itself in the wall.
When Drs. Barton and Hayes
reached his bedside he was still con-
scious and talked freely.
Soon afterwards Mr.. Hutchins, his
employer, also appeared and convers-
ed freely with him. When asked to
state some reason for acting so rashly
Jones said: 81 have been despon-
dent for some time, although l had
rot thought of taking my life. l
made up my mind to do that in FIVE
minutes. | went upstairs and began
to think that life was not worth living.
l took my rifle down and said to
myself: "Henry, have you the
courage to DO 1t? ?" l answered my
self YES and in moment it was
DONE"
| When the doctors told him that he
could not live he said "Well, l
wanted to die, but tell me the truth,
did l do good job1'
He conversed with his wife and
children until about o:3o o'clock and
then sank into Inconsistencies and
at II o'clock last Friday the internal
hemorrhage still continued and he
was rapidly sinking. The doctors
said he might die at any moment and
might linger until morning.
Mr.. Jones was born in Fishing
Creek Township, Columbia County,
forty-eight years ago. He lived in
| Wilkes-B Barre for some time and was
in the treasurers Office about 1870.
when c. M. Miller was county treas
urer, and later was in the office with
treasurer Courtright Then he went
to Montana, where his first wife was
visiting. He took notion to tramp
home and travelled great part of the
Distance on foot. While he was thus
homeward bound his wife died in that
Western State. For nine years he has
been living in Wyoming and has
been bookkeeper for Hutchins & Co.
He was a member of the 53rd
Regiment, Pennsylvania Volunteers,
having enlisted when only IS years
of age. He was past master of the
Wyoming Masonic lodge, was men,
Der of the Wyoming lodge of Odd
Fellows and of the Jr. o. U. A. M.
He carried $4,000 life insurance in
the Odd Fellows Mutual Covenant
Association and $4,000 in the Royal
Arcanum.
His first wife was Matilda Bucka-
lew of Fishing Creek Township,
Columbia County, and two sons live
Kent, aged "a years, Of Wyoming,
and Benjamin, FL years old, of Sorona,
Mexico. His second wife was before
marriage Addie Williams of Fades
Creek. They have four children,
ranging from to years Of age. A
brother, w. w. Jones, lives at I73
Park Avenue, Wilkes Barre, brother
A. w. Jones in Bloomsburg, and a
sister, Mrs. John Kimble, at Jones'
town, Columbia County.
While still conscious Mr.. Jones
made a will with Mrs. Enoch Francis
and DR.. Samuel Barton Of Wyoming
at his bedside as witnesses. He de-
sired that his homestead in Jamestown
go to his two sons, Kent and Ben.