The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1898-10-06
BULLET in His HEART
WALTER ID. TODD, BOY OF
SIXTEEN, COMMITS SUICIDE
Ply SHOOTING
EMPLOYED BY THE DULUTH
Went to His Desk In the General
Ohces of the Road Earlier Than
Usual, and Asked the JanitOr
some Suspicious QuestiOns-A
Little Later His Body Was Found
on the Floor Beside His Chair.

80 long, everyone"
The above words, penned on a piece
or paper, comprised the only message
left by Walter d. Todd, sixteen years
of age, who shot himself through the
heart early yesterday morning in the
oIflceS or the st. Paul & Duluth rail-
road, on the seventh floor of the Globe
building. Todd was employed by the
81. raul d Duluth as stationery mail
clerk and occupied a desk near the en-
trance to the offices of General Man
ager Plough and Purchasing Agent
Schoff
William Stafford, colored, entered the
office at 7:4O in the morning and. to his
surprise, found Todd sitting at the desk
or Carl Wahlstrom, Mr.. Schoff's as
slstant. Stafford said:
Why, Walter, what are you doing
here SO early?"
The boy evaded the question and re-
turned:
Say, WIN, do you know that insanity
runs in our family? l did not go home
last night, Will And say, if you were
to shoot a man, where would YOU hit
MIN, through the heart or the head?"
Stafford knew the boys liking for
Jokes, and, thinking nothing of the
question, responded that if he wanted
to Kill man he would likely shoot
him through the heart. He asked Todd
why he asked such a ridiculous ques-
ton and the lad answered:
We'll, L am going to kill man, that's
ALL"
Stafford immed ately expostulated
with Todd and finally got the boy TO
pass it off as a joke. Stafford then
went to the wash room. leaving Todd
sitting at Wahlstrom's desk scribbling
away on a block of paper with q pen.
When Stafford returned to the office in
less than four minutes, he noticed Todd
lying on the floor beneath the chair
The colored man thought that Todd
was playing some sort of a joke on
him so ordered the boy to get up When
he turned the boy over Stafford was
Mortified to see the paliid face and the
fixed eyes. The boy was gasping for
breath.
Stafford ran to the elevator and call
ed to the elevator man to get doctor,
but before the physician could be even
informed Todd was dead.
A piece Of paper was found on the
desk where Todd was sitting, on which
were a number of freshly made ink
marks Only the words, 80 long, ev-
eryone,' were eligible. By Todd's side
was found modern 3S-calibre revolver.
One shell was empty.
Deputy Coroner A. N. Nelson visited
the office and made a search for any
further message. but without success.
Nothing that would throw any light on
the subject was found in the boys
clothing. The body was removed to the
morgue. 1t will be taken to the home
Of the father. David Todd 460 Ban
croft street. The funeral will be held
from the house tomorrow afternoon at
2:30 o'clock.
The suicide was a son of David Todd,
travelling auditor for the ST. Paul &
Duluth railroad. He entered the en-
ploy of the company in January, 1897,
and was very popular with all who
knew him. He was an Industrious lad
and very bright. He liked to read ro-
mances and always had a book or two
with him. He also dabbled quite lit
tie in electricity in an amateurish way.
The deceased leaves a mother, father
and two sisters, Isabel and Majorie,
the latter being five years old.
The suicide was an usher at the
Metropolitan opera house in the bal
cony. Last night he did not work there
and the Metropolitan employees have no
idea where he spent the night.