The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1896-03-10
TWAS AS EXPECTED
The Fears Of AL Leans Friends Well
Grounded.
HE COMMITTED SUICIDE
Few Nights Ago His Absence
Aroused Suspicion - Later He
Returned Only to Seek a Room
i'm Which to End His Life.
HE COMMITTED
SUICIDE

The body of poor AL Leans. cold and
stiff was found in room IA in the Fitsch-
en- block on South Main street last eve
ming. A bullet hole through his head
and revolver that was tightly
grasped in his rigid hand told the man
ner of his death, and the fears of his
friends who have suspected for the last
two or three days that he intended TO
put an end to himself were realized. 1t
Is not known when Leans took possess
sion of the room, neither is il known
when the fatal shot was fired. but from
the condition of the body Coroner Rich
ards believes that the man had been
dead for 10 or ~ hours before his body
was discovered.
About 1880 o'clock last evening the
chambermaid at the Fitschen block en-
tered room IA, turned ON the light and
discovered the corpse. She at once no.
titled Gus Fitschen, who summoned
Onlcer j. j. Back, and he in turn noti-
ned Coroner Richards and Chance Har-
ris. They found the body lying on the
bed, partially on its right side, with the
ieft hand lying across the breast and
the right hand holding a revolver close
up against the right temple, and not
more than an inch from the hole made
by the bullet which had done the fatal
temple and went clear through the un-
fortunate mans head, coming out at
the top OF the head and on the left side
The gun used was a Smith & Wesson
3S-caliber and was the same one that
Leans borrowed from his room mate
last Saturday, and there is no doubt
that he contemplated suicide at that
time. The revolver had been fully load
ed with six cartridges and only one of
them had been exploded
Inc body was attired only in the
dead mans shirt and underclothes and
the bedclothes were pulled up over his
chest. His clothes were piled up on a
chair beside the bed. The pillows and
bed clothes were soaked in blood The
body was very stiff and the indications
were that death had ensued IL hours
previous, IL not longer than that
Leans occupied his room in West |
Granite street last Friday night for the |
last time and on Saturday evening his |
friends began to manifest an anxiety |
concerning his welfare. as was stated |
in Sunday mornings Standard When
he left the room on Saturday morning |
he borrowed his roommate's, Fred |
Giles revolver, the one with which he |
killed himself. Giles asked him soon
afterwards IL he did not have his gun, |
and he replied that he had. Giles told |
him not to lose it and Leans replied: |
II won't until take shot at myself" |
When Leans did not show up on Sat- |
urday evening Giles. A. Z. briggs and |
Hayes Cannon spent several hours in |
an unsuccessful search for him! On |
Sunday morning, as George Fitschen |
was leaving his private office in the |
rear of his saloon, Leans met him and |
told him that he had taken possession |
OF one OF the rooms up stairs. Fitschen |
said, That's right" and invited him |
to have "a drink. Neither George
fftschen nor his brother saw Leans |
again until he was found dead and no /
one knows when he went into the room /
where he was found. The register of
the house shows that a Mr.. Kerns oc-
cupied room Ii on Sunday night. so
that Leans could not have taken pos
session OF the room until early yes
terday morning.
Leans was about 40 years old and
was for or 10 years chief clerk for
Division superintendent Dugan of the
=, b. n Q. railway at Creston, Iowa.
He came 20 Butte about five years ago
with Cobban & Cobban and was their
oookkeeper up ITO "a few months ago |
%hen he took a similar position with
Dr1ggs d Maloney. Both Messrs |
briggs and Maloney were out of the
,ity last Thursday and Leans was left
N charge OF the office, although he had
ost his position there a few davs he |
tore by reason of the return TO the
'lty or Mr.. Maloney. Instead of look |
ng after the business that was intrust- |
"a 10 MN on Thursday Leans went on |
spree and when he partially re-
sained his senses he was so Thoroughly
ashamed of his conduct that he con-
inued his debauch. He was respondent
'Ver being out of employment and his
'ad death was not unexpected.
Leans YVES one of the best bookkeep-
rs IN the city, and drinking was his !
MY rault. He was well liked and his
Ieath Is deeply deplored. He was a | i.
member of Eagle lodge No. 10. X. 90
- or erosion, Iowa. His parents, WHO |
eside at Creston, and two sisters liv-
ng In Spokane were notified of his |
eath last night.
coroner Richards will conduct an in
uest at the Butte undertaking roo,,s
O'Clock this evening.