The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1899-01-12

Maj John r. De Berneau. who was
bookkeeFer for Sheriff Billings az olyu.-
pta twenty-five or tweniy-Iarwe years ago.
bew cut his brains with a &i-caacsr pistol
al Ballard yesterday afternoon The sound
Of the shot brought assistance To MS side
n moment. but re had already nrea.nsi
his last He lef, no explanation. IL IS
thought. however. that dependency. caus-
ed by The use OF intsxicants, Was the prtE.-
cipai cause.
Mr. De Bernesu had been keeping books
a. Charles Hennsgar's shipyard. Ballard.
for s1ms time. /; aAs his custom 10 take
his meals at the American Exchange
house. Before dinner yesterday he slipped
around back Of the bar and took il-ca,!-
Der pistol. which he put in ais pocket. Al
ter eating he returned 20 the bar room
As he came in John Fowies. who was
standing near the door, spoke to him in a
casual way, saying: Hello. Major, have
you eaien?"
Mr.. De Bernsau did not pay any at,en-
iion 70 the question, but asked Fowles II
he had the key 20 room q. the back
Of the house. Having received a negative
answer from Fowlcs. De Berneau started
as * to sess II the key was III the door.
He kept OF going, however. and passed
out on 10 the back porch. A moment iates
Fow.es heard pistol shot. He rushed
cut. followed by others. and found DE Ber-
Il
II his temple. He had placed the muzzle
OF the pistol az his right temple and pull
I'd the trigger. The bail passed through
on an almost straight line eak!ng the
skull badly. Death must have taken place
instantly.
Coroner Sparkling went on; TO Ballard
and after making an official inspection Of
the body, had il removed 10 Bonney *
stewards chapel No inquest VII be held,
as IL WAS plain case Of suicide Among
the dead mans effects were q number OF
cards with Coroner Sparling's name on
them. They were the cards that the
presen; coroner used when he was a can
dldate for election. Judging by the num-
Der Of poems Mr.. De Eerneau had la has
possession. he was a lover Of poetry. He
had an accident Insurance policy for soel
made IN favor OF Mrs. De Berneau by the
Pacific Mutual Life Insurance Company
of California. December y, 1888
He was born In Paris. France, December
%. is3s. and came from a good family
When young man he crossed the water
and settled in the United States. During
the early part of the civil war he served
In the navy. but II Is not known what rank
he he'd. he left the navy and served dur
ing the remainder OF the war In the army
years was always called Major" He took
part In the construction Of what Is known
in history the Petersburg mine
After the war he made MS home in Chi
cago for some time. finally moving TO
Washington in 1876 For number Of years
he was bookkeeper for Sheriff Billings at
Olympia In lss3 he returned 10 Chicago
and l.ved there until 1887. when he came
to Seattle. He has been bookkeeper for
several we'll known .irms, among them
Moran Bros- * Co.
He was member Of Stevens Post, No
/. q. A. r. and also the Masonic frater-
nifty. He leaves wife, who is living in
Seattle. Funeral services will probably
take place tomorrow afternoon.
II was stated last evening at Henne-
gar's shipyard that Mr.. De Berueau was in
Mr.. Hennegar's employ at the time he
killed himself. He had not had trouble
that was known at the ofYice.