The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-02-25
Young Man With Hands as Soft
as Velvet Ends His Life.
QUESTION AS TO HIS IDENTITY.
Leaves . Note TO Eject That His
Name IL r. ID. Ferguson. and That
~. c. Was His Home - Coroner
Has Evidence Tending TO show
Tex. - No Reason for the Deed.

A hne-looking young man, whose hands
were soft as velvet. committed self-murder
at the Commercial hotel. corner OF First
avenue and Main street. yesterday mcrn-
ing a, 10 o'clock by firing two Sa-calibre
bullets into his head. AT the first shot he
fell 10 the floor stunned but, aroused by
the appearance of an aTrighted woman.
he placed the pistol 10 his head second
time and blew out his brains. When Dep
uty Coroner c. b. Yandell arrived the man
lay in an immense pool OF blood and was
stlll bleeding.
On a small piece OF paper IN his trousers
pocket he had hastily scrubbed a few
words. informing the coroner that his name
was r. d. Ferguson. OF *. c" In his
pocket was a key-ring tag bearing the
name "R. u. Fry. Denton. Tex" What is
his real name cannot be definitely decided
because II VIII bee observed that the initials
IN both names are the same.
Late Wednesday night young man en-
tered the CONNER cal hotel and asked the
night clerk II he might have Il room. say
ing that he was without money. The clerk
denied him. The young man was walk ng
out when Proprietor Ferguson said: Call
the poor fellow back ana give him shelter"
The clerk did as requested. The young
man registered as follows: "R. ID. Fer
guson. X. c" Tie was assigned 10 room
70 and Immediately retired. taking with
him small telescope yaTSe.
Yesterday morning at 10 o'clock the
chambermaid was startled by sharp re-
port from room y. She rushed in, the door
being unlocked. and saw Ferguson lying On
the floor in front Of the mirror His pistol
was at his side Greatly alarmed at the
horrible sight, the woman rushed out and
commenced calling FOR the proprietor, who
Immediately went after i policeman. In
the meantime Ferguson recovered con-
seriousness and, picking up his pistol.
placed 1t 10 the right side Of his head near
the ear and blew out his brains.
The second report caused excitement in
the hotel, but those who rushed to the door
found It locked, which proved that Fer
81 son had turned the key after arous.rs
from the effects of the first bullet. The
door was opened, and Ferguson's body dis
covered on the floor near the bed. Blood
was gushing out OF the wound near his
ear and spreading rapidly over the floor.
Life was extinct.
The coroner vas notified, and Deputy c.
+. Yandell responded. Later Coroner YAM
del arrived himself. When the deputy
entered the room blood was still flowing.
The remains were removed 10 Butter
worth's undertaking rooms and examined.
The first bullet struck the forehead about
an inch above the line Of the eyebrows
and tgfle 10 the left Of the medal line,
glancing upwards. Contact with the skull
had fattened the bullet. and 1t fell to the
floor. Blaod had spurted on the mirror. II
was the second bullet that terminated LIFE
quickly.
J. was evident that suicide was premedi-
tated, as the only scrap of paper found on
the dead mans person contained the fol-
lowing words, written hurrIedly:
My name is r. u. Ferguson. My
home is in X. c" His under
clothes bore the initials "R. u. F."
Doubt was raised in the mind OF
Coroner Yandeil as To Ferguson being
the suicides correct name by the discovery
OF a key-riug tag with the following words
on II RI II. Fry. Denton, Texas" 1t
viii be observed that the initials in both
instances are the same. There IS reason 10
believe that the man lived in Kansas City.
because his necktie VAS purchased from
: kaufman Seventh and Main streets.
Kansas city. His hat light brown
fedora. came from Peter Johnson's store
in Ogden. Utah. In he telescope grip was
a bunch 81 blank bank checks OF the Coo
RADIO City Bank Of Texas.
The dead man was an intelligent appear
ing fellow about p years old. He has long
black hair. "A smooth face. medium COM
plcxl0n. black eyes. and VIII weigh about
Is pounds.