The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-06-17

Constant Armand Arnoudt. q saloon
keeper. committed suicide a. mis- home Just
south OF Georgetown, two miles south Of
the city. yesterday afternoon. by shooting
away the entire left side OF his head He
used an Old Fredericksburg shotgun. and
the heavy charge OF No. duck shot scat
tered blood and brains over the entire
room and made the sight which greeted
the eyes Of the suicides ne!ghbors an hour
later one Of ihe most horrible ever wit
messed in the annals OF suicide In King
county. Arnoudt was Respondent over
financial troubles, and had also been
drinking heavily. He was between IS and
30 years Of age. and leaves only widow.
Arnoudt and his wife Leoniine kept a
saloon and beer garden a short distance
below the bicycle park. near Georgetown.
and lived in the same building occupied
by the saloon. On Sundays the saloon has
been the resort OF many wheeimen. who
VIII readily recall the suaye Old French
man who was the proprietor. Business
had not been going we'll with Arnoudt,
and he had for months been feeling dis
couraged. Two months ago he attempted
To hang himself. but was cut down by his
wife and neighbor. For a time after this
a watch was constantly kept on Arnoudt
but recently he had shown a decided i'm
provement, and when his wife left home
10 come to Seattle yesterday afternoon at
about O'Clock she had no hesitancy in
leaving her husband in the saloon alone
The error was fatal one. No sooner
had his wife gone, apparently. than Ar
noudt vert into dinsy little pantry OPEN
Ing of the kitchen. took the rusty old
shotgun from its case, loaded its two bar
rels. attached string to the trigger OF
the left hammer, passed IL under the butt
OF the gun. cooked both barrels, and
placing the muzzle of the weapon TO his
head, pulled the string. The result has
been told, The hundred and one odds and
ends lying about the pantry or hanging on
its walls were literally covered with blood
and brain matter. The body fell back into
reclining position. and there was found
still warm ar about o'clock. one waxen-
hued hand. upon one of the fingers of
which sparkled a handsome diamond ring.
still grasping the barrel of the gun Ar
noudt had dressed himself ms atty in
black suit Of clothes before taking his life
A little girl named Eliza Halliday vas
sent 10 the saloon about 3 30 o'clock and
discovered that something WAS wrong the
place being apparently deserted She told
her uncle. William Baker. and he. with
Mr.. and Mrs. Joseph Reche made the
horrible discovery. They notified DEPUTY
Coroner Yandell ard Sheriff Meyer. and at
about $50 o'clock Yanden and Deputy
Sheriff Brewster arrived and took charge
of the body, which WIS removed 10 the
morgue al once, the deputy coroner de-
Gliding that no inquest Was necessary Mrs
Arnoud; returned Immediately after the
body had been removed. As she left the
street car in front of the house. IL was
plain 10 see that she knew what had hap
pened. though no one had told her the
news Her grief when she knew the truth
was heartrend!ng TO behold.
Justice OF the Peace Henry Carson who
was an Intimate friend OF Arnoudt says
that the !atter's domestic relations were
very happy, and says that IL had been
plain TO everybody FOR. weeks tha, Ar
noudt was insane. /, is said that abs.nthe
drinking was one OF the causes of Ar
noudt's insanity. and that he had only
begun sndulging TO excess In the lnsidious
cordial after MS business troubles began.
Arnoudt. as near as ran re learned. came
TO America from pUnk.rk France in 1874
He was an expert sign painter. and COM
ing to the Pacific coast soon afterwa rds
he worked ar his trade In Carson city
New. San Francisco and other California
cities. and In Portland. In iSs5 he lived in
East Portland and was a member of Re
lief Hook and Ladder Company No 5
About eleven years ago he came 70 Seat
tie and worked a. sign painting and kept
n Mttle pain; shop on lower Main street.
After The lire he continued the business In
a shack for awhile. than bought property
in South Seattle ard built the saloon where
be ended his life. He was well known
au3ong thu residents 90 the city and well
thought Of. His only relatives. so far as
Known. are his widow and a brother
Charles. who il now. IL Is said. either ia
los Angeles or South America
ArnouGts case f. the thirteenth the cor
0neg has had this month