The Anaconda standard., 1896-01-04
HE KILLED HIMSELF
N. ]. Savage Went Into Bath Room
and Committed Suicide.
CARDS AND DRINK CAUSED 1T
The Man Went by the Name OF
Jim Thompson While In Butte
He Bore the Appearance Of a
Refined, Honest Man.
CARDS AND DRINK CAUSED IT

NJ. ]. Savage. known in Butte by the
name of Jim Thompson, walked into
the Owsley barber shop. at the corner
of Main and Broadway, at 1910 o'clock
yesterday afternoon. He said he
wanted a bath and handed the porter
25 cents in payment of it. 1t is not
customary to pay for baths in ad-
vance but no objection was made, of
course, and Savage was shown to one
of the bath rooms.
Three minutes afterward the people
In the barber shop were startled at
hearing a pistol shot from the bath
room which Savage had just entered.
The room was entered and Savage was
seen sitting In the chair with his head
against the wall, blood flowing freely
from a bullet wound in the head. OFF,
Ger Barnaman and DR.. c. v. Norcross
were summoned at once and laid the
man on the floor. He was dying, Moth
ing could be done for him, and in four
minutes he was dead.
A 38-caliber Smith & Wesson revolt
yer. pearl handled. was in Savage's
right hand. He had placed the gun to
his right ear and the bullet went right
into the brain. He had taken of his
coat and vest. collar, necktie and
shoes. In the pockets of his clothes
were found a comb, lead pencil, hand
heTCHleI, d uOZen cartridges ana a let
ter. There was not a nickel in his
pockets. and he had evidently paid his
last cent for the use of the bath room.
In his pocket was a letter written
with a lead pencil and apparently
written in the bath room. 1t was in a
delicate. almost feminine penmanship.
1t was addressed on the envelope,
Miss Lottie Logan,
Cottage Hotel.
Butte"
The letter read as follows:
Butte, January 4, go
this my Last Request Before I Pass
in my checks / want Mr. Madden to
pay John Mclaughlin the Sum of $S5
Dollars that he owes me and the Said
Mclaughlin to pay Miss Lottie Logan
one half that amount.
Jack Searman please pay Jim Bo-
land ZOO Dollars and oblige your
Friend Jim Thompson
Savage was so years old Dec. 2S last.
He was a tall. fine looking man, with
gray mustache and gray hair. His
clothes were of good quality, and the
suicide was evidently a gentleman.
He came to Butte about three months
ago and stopped at the Cottage hotel.
He had plenty of money, he seemed to
have come to Butte to have a good
time and he proceeded to have II He
Il IN.
He did not know a soul in the town
but quickly made friends, being of a
Jovial, genial character and free with
his money. To his intimate friends he
confided that Thompson was an as
sumed name. He told Jack McLaugh-
lin. proprietor of the Cottage hotel, in
West Galena street, where he roomed.
that his real name was NJ ]. Savage.
that he was a steamboat engineer.
that he has been for years in the en-.
ploy OF the Smithsonian institute in the
Alaska exploration service. He said
he had returned from Alaska a few
months ago and went to San Fran
cisco. He found San Francisco too
warm for him after the Alaska win
tiers. He had entered into contract
with the government for five years
further service in Alaska, beginning
next spring, and before starting had
concluded to have a good time. He
showed some of his friends a first
class steamboat engineers license.
Savage gradually got out of funds.
He had become acquainted with
number of gamblers and staked them
repeatedly, although ne did not gamble
himself. A good deal of his money was
loaned to ]. M. Madden. who is mem
toned in his letter, and who started
for Cripple Creek a few weeks ago.
The Jack Seaman mentioned is a rail-
road man employed on the hill Savage
had been friendly with him and had
promised to take him to Alaska with
him in the spring.
Two pawn tickets were found among
Savage's effects. One was for IS. so for
an overcoat and the other for s16. so for
his watch. He had not pawned his
chain. That was made of a woman's
hair, probably his wife's, who, he had
told his friends, died about IA years
ago His only relative. he had said, Is
rla1 r-lxo IL.
ment at Washington, d. C.
Savage told his friends the past few
days that he had $1,000 in a bank in
San Francisco. and that he had written
for 1t and telegraphed for IL, but had
heard nothing at Christmas time, and
to the postoffice and to the telegraph
office. but received no letters or tele-
grams. Thursday evening he borrowed
81 from Jack Mclaughlin to send an
other telegram, he said. for the money.
and he said as soon as his money came
his room. Mclaughlin gave him the
dollar, but inquiry at the Western
Union and Rocky Mountain Telegraph
offices shows that no kilograms were
sent last night either signed Savage or
Thompson. 1t Is considered doubtful
II he had any money In San Francis
co bank.
Yesterday morning Savage rose rath-
er late. About 10:30 o'clock he went tn
the bar of the Cottage hotel and got
two cocktails. He took them up to
Lottie Logan's room, and knocked at
the door. Lottie admitted him. He
gave her one of the cocktails and they
drank together. Then he borrowed a
sheet of paper and envelope from the
girl and went up town. His favorite re-
sort was the Mint saloon in Main street
and he was there about an hour, sit
ting at one of the little tables in the
rear. waiting. he said. for a friend
with whom he had an appointment.
He did not seem as Joviai as usual. and
complained of the smoke. which was
quite thick all day His friend did not
come and about noon Savage left the
saloon. He probably went straight
down TO the barber shop where he end
ed his life.
An examination OF the suicides room