The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1896-08-20
ANOTHER TRAGIC DEATH.
"Billy" Williams Shoots Himself
In the Head and Dies Two
Hours Later.

Corvallis was thrown into another fever
OF excitement Saturday afternoon, by the
j report that ''Bi1ly'' Williams had CON-
mitted suicide. What motive prompted
him to commit the awful deed is not
known, for he left nothing among his eff
fects that threw any light on the affair,
although he had been rather dispondent
for few days, and to some of his friends
| had remarked that he might as well fall
in the river and drown, for he had moth
ing to live for. When he was not feeling
well he frequently became dispondent,
and as he had been sick for couple of
weeks his friends thought nothing of his
queer remarks.
In a somewhat excited condition, Will
lianis entered the gun store of G. Hodes
about 1870 Saturday afternoon and said
to the proprietor, 81 want to buy the
best revolver in the shop" Mr.. Hodes
showed him 3S- S-caliber Smith & Wesson
revolver which suited him, and after pay
tridges, which Mr.. Hodes put into the
cylinder of the weapon, Williams walked
deliberately out onto the sidewalk in
front of the store, placed the muzzle of
the pistol to his right temple and pulled
the trigger. There was sharp report,
and an instant later Billy Williams lay
PROSTATE OH the ground with bullet in
his brain. A crowd soon gathered and
physicians were summoned, but it only
required an instant for them to ascertain
that the wound was fatal, and at best the
victim could not live more than couple
of hours. He was placed on bier and
taken to the undertaking parlors of S. N.
Wilkins, where he was attended by Drs.
Pernot and Altman until the end which,
which occurred at $3.50.
At the coroner's inquest, held soon af-
ter the suicides death, by Acting Coron
er Carlile, several witnesses were exainin
ed and verdict was rendered In
accordance with the above statement.
The only person, it appears, who saw the
act committed was Geo. Clark. He was
returning from the court house, and as
he reached Main street he noticed Will
liams standing in front of Hodes' store,
and saw that he held something bright
i'll his hand, which, as soon as the shot
was fred, he realized was revolver.
William S. Williams, or "Billy" Will
liams, as he was familiarly known, came
to Corvallis twenty seven years ago. He
was an unmarried man, and little is
known of his early life, except that he
was native of Wales. and came to Ameri-
ca while in his teens, and was forty eight
years of age. At one time he made ap-
plication for membership to Ellsworth
post, claiming to have enlisted in Co. F..
10th Ill. infantry, but proof of his inlist-
ment was unobtainaDe and his appica-
ton was consequently rejected.
He. was machinist by trade and a
good one, too. For several years he was
engineer at the Benton mills, but few
months ago he resigned to accept simi-
lar position with H. F. Fischer, in whose
employ he remained until about two
weeks ago, when quit on account of ill
ness.
For years Williams had been adicted to
drink, and while in his cups about seven
years years ago, he was discovered by Ro-
bert Matheney lying in some brush near
the roadside, bleeding profusely from a
cut on his neck. Mr.. Matheney took
him home with him and cared for him
until he was entirely recovered. While
Williams was at his place Mr.. Matheney
learned that he had attempted his life
with dull pocket knife while tempora-
rily deranged from the effects of exees-
sive use of liquor. At interval his ap-
petite for drink became uncomfortable,
though he fought manfully against it, and
it is said by those who knew him best,
that this trouble was largely responsible
for his tragic end.
Under instructions from Acting Cor
oner Garlile, the remains were turned
over to Undertaken S. N Wilkins for bur-
rial, and the interrment occurred Sunday
morning at the I. o. o. F. cemetery.