The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-11-29


Edward n. Bauche, a well-known min
ing operator of Ross.and. B. c., committed
suicide yesterday morning at 4:s5 o'clock
in Ray McRobert's house OF ill-fame on
Washington street by shooting himself
through the head with a 45-caliber re-
volver. 1t is not certain whether he killed
himself because he had skipped from Ross
land owing 81, zoe or because hs thought the
first shot he fired had killed Annie john
son. an inmate of the house
Bauche arrived In Searsie . few days
ago and took rooms at the Hotel Northern.
Saturday he wrote the following letter:
Hotel Northern, Seattle, Nov. q, 1897.
Dear Friend Thomas: I am at present
waiting in Seattle, and with just enough
funds to take me to San Francisco. for
which place ! will leave on the 30th inst.
If l can raise money in Frisco l will go
to either Mexico or Cuba. think the lat
ter place viii suit my case. am desper-
ate and wish to join the Cuban insurgents.
Had you no troubles of your own l would
fill you full of mine. but suffice it to say
that I am not ruined and left Rossland
in the night And also leaving my credit
ors to the amount of over $l,tuo. II is the
first time in my life that ever did any
thing OF the kind, and now have made up
my mind never again 10 endeayor TO get an
honest dollar. / have taken to gambling
and have made living at 1t so far, al
though 1t is an awful life and will ruin
anyone who viii stay with it; but / have
been driven to it and feel desperate enough
to stop at nothing short of hell Do not
write me, but I will always let you know
where am. I'll now bid you goodbye for
a time. AS ever. +. N. b"
On Saturday afternoon Bauche met An
ME Johnson, whom he had known in Ross
land, and made an appointment with her.
He was at the house during the evening,
but left about IL 80 or perhaps Il. An hour
and half later he returned to the house
and after while went to room q. occu-
pied by Annie Johnson. In talking he
said that he had lost SIPS gambling. 1T
would not make so much difference he
said, ''only that I lost 1t to hayseeds." He
looked through his clothes and CHANGED 10
find $50 gold piece.
''wel,' this will buy some wine," he
said. In order to make the wine party
success, Reta Raymond, who was arrested
night before last for COINS along WASH
ington street ringing cow bell, and Veda
Leigh were invited In. w. w. Wright the
colored porter. brought up the wine. bottle
after bottle. In all Bauche purchased four
bottles. Up to the third bottle Bauche was
in his clothes, but when Wright came up
with the third or fourth bottle Bauche was
undressed and stood in the center of the
room swinging big 45-caliber revolver on
his finger AS Wright came in Bauche
sent the revolver swinging and said:
you know how we shoot down IN
Texas? We shoot most anywhere"
Hold on, there" said Wright, don't
be too reckless with that gun" In fact
Wright lost no time in getting out of the
ROOM After the fourth bottle had been
disposed of Miss McRoberts did the honors
and down went the contenss Of the fifth
bottle. An exact statement of the liquor
drank by the three is as follows: Five
bottles of wiae and three bottles of beer.
Wright put on his hat and coat and went
out, Miss McRoberts locking all the doors
after him. In the meantime. Bauche had
been getting reckless with the gun and
talked about shooting. He mentioned
something to Miss Johnson about commit
i
matter was forgotten. but Bauche still held
the gun and something was said about taxi
ing shot out of the window. Miss John
son said that he did not have the nerve to
do Ii. and the affair kept going on In this
way for some time. Miss Johnson was In
the bed almost in front OF window, which
is at the side OF the bed Miss RAYMOND
was sitting near the foot of the bed In a
chair and Miss Leigh was standing near
the door. Suddenly Bauche turned in the
direction of the bed and bringing the re-
volyer up. fired a shot: The bullet passed
close to Miss Johnson's head and out
through the window. She fell back on he
bed with yell and was apparently dead.
Quick AS fash Bauche turned and step
ing in front Of the mirror. raised the re-
volver to his head and fired At the sound
OF the shot he fell to the floor blood and
brains oozing out OF big hole in the
right side OF his head Just over his ear.
In moment the house was in wild con-
fusion. Miss Johnson lay on the bed.
scared to death. and Miss Leigh fell in
faint as she tried to rush out of the room.
Charles Daily, of Kansas City, who was
passing on the street. heard the shots and
rushed to police headquarters. He met
Officer Grant, who rushed down to the
house. He was the first one to enter the
room after the shooting. and as he reached
the hall found Miss Leigh lying In the
4,
discovered his mistake when she suddenly
came TO her senses and commenced TO veil
Grant then rushed into the room, and saw
Bauche'S body lying on the floor I'm a big
pool Of blood. He lay as he had fallen. on
his left side. with his right arm down and
the revolver near his hand. The halle.
which had caused death was found on the
floor at the left-hand side OF the mirror
as one faced II. On the wall was the mark
where IL had struck.
AS quickly as possible after the shooting
DR.. Emil Bories was called In He pro-
nounced Bauche dead The body was re-
moved TO Butterworths undertaking
rooms. and the three women were locked
up pending an investigation. DR.. Bories
said he was satisfied It was a plain case
OF suicide. After Chief Reed had worked
on the case all day he came TO the same
conclusion. Coroner Yandeil left the mat
ter In the hands of the police for investt-