The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1897-02-20
CIRkLE PUTS BULLET IN
HIS BRAIN.
BR00DED OVER HIS PLANS.
TED WAS SHOWN IN HIS
DOINGS.
TRIED GAS FIRST AND FAILED.
Then When Discovered Used the Re-
vOlver Before Any One Could
Interfere.

Discouraged, tired of life, Theodore
]. Cirkle, of Boyd, Wis, an attendant
of the law department of the Mime
sofa university, ended his existence by
putting a bullet through his heart at
the Waverly hotel yesterday after
noon.
That the deed had been carefully pre-
meditated is clearly proven in more
ways than one His talk has been
of such character, and the revolver
was only used as a last resort, when
he believed that another suicidal at
tempt was about to be foiled.
Mr.. Cirkle, who was twenty-eight
years old, has been a guest at the
Waverly hotel since the law depart
ment opened last fall At the hotel
his manner has always been that of a
young man who is steady in his habits,
although he often dropped remarks
that would tend to show that life pos
sibly had not the brightest charms for
him. Last night he took his opera
glasses and left alone. If he attended
the theater alone or with some friend,
the people at the hotel could not say.
He returned at the usual time and
retired. He did not arise in the morn
ing, but this was not thought anything
particular Of, as it was an irregular
custom of his to sleep late. Shortly
after o'clock in the afternoon W. A.
Fisher, proprietor of the hotel, was
attracted to the vicinity of his room
by a strong smell of gas. He COM
menced to make an investigation, and
had about decided that it came from
Mr.. Cirkle's room when a revolver
shot rang out. 1t was from within the
young mans room. Mr.. Fisher was
now thoroughly aroused. He forced
the door open, and there upon his bed,
undressed, lay the young man in the
throes of death. Help, that was use
less, was called and the unhappy man
| died but a few seconds after Mr..
Fisher entered the room. In his hand
was held thirty-eight-caliber revolver
that told its own tale
The strong smell Of gas in the room
nearly overpowered Mr. Fisher, and
window was Immediately opened A
further examination was then made.
which showed that the gas jet was
thrown full open. On the table near
by lay letter addressed tc the dead
mans mother sister and brother, and
which stated that he was discouraged,
| tired of life and that he could not be
better man if he tried. The letter is
in strain that would imply that he
had been upbraided by some one for
not living in accordance with some
body else's wishes. Near by on the
! table stood the picture of a young lady:
presumably his sweetheart. The au-
thorities were Immediately appraised of
| the unfortunate mans deed, and a.
deputy coroner called, who had the
body removed to Johnson & Gladys
undertaking establishment. Word was
also Immediately sent to the dead
mans relatives at Boyd, Wis, and
return answer received that relatives
would leave instantly and arrive in
| the city today, when further arrange
ments will be made as to the disposal
of the remains.
That Cirkle had given suicide con-
siderable thought, and that the deed
was not committed on the spur Of the
moment, is evident by a conversation
| that took place Thursday forenoon in
| the hotel office. Some of the guests
| together with Cirkle had just finished
a perusal Of the morning papers, when
| a discussion arose about the five sui
| cides that were chronicled at that time
! as attributable to the teachings of In
| gersoll. The remarks were passed by
| one of the gentlemen present to the
| effect that he could not understand
how any man could willfully take his
! own life. To this Cirkle coolly an
| swered:
"Oh, I don't know. I don't think
that to commit suicide Is such a very
! bad thing"
No special attention was given to the
y.Iy ut h.
mans subsequent act has wildly re-
| called it to those who happened to be
| present at the time.
| Cirkle had undoubtedly come to the
| decision that to end his existence was
the only thing he could do, after he
| had walked up in the morning. The
letter had then been penned- while
in negligee, and the gas get turned on,
whereupon he retired to painlessly