The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-09-18

For Some Reason as Yet UnexpIain-
ed, He Shot Himself in the Head,
the Wound Proving Fatal an
Hour After the Tragedy-He Seem
ed in the Best of Spirits satur-
day Night.
While wedding festivities were in prog
ress at the home of Andrew Johnson, 479
Woodward avenue, at an early hour yes
terday morning, August Thomssen one
of the guests, went into the yard and
shot himself An hour later Thomson
died at the city hospital. No cause for
the young mans rash act is known.
The suicide was young man in his
twenty-third year and lived with his pa
800 Louis street. He was of a bright
cheerful disposition and in the best of
health, and his relatives are completely
at a loss to account for his ending his
life. Recently young Thomson was in
the employ of his brother, J. J. Thoms-
sen, who conducts grocery store at 204-
2OS Carroll street. Last Tuesday the
young fellow had a slight disagreement
with his brother and left the store in an
angry mood, but it is hardly believed
that so trifling matter could have in
duced Thomson to end his life. After
the disagreement with his brother young
Thomson did not again appear at the
store and spent considerable of his time
away from home. His brother saw him
at 10 o'clock Saturday night, however,
and the young man seemed in the best of
spirits.
Of Thomssen's movements during the
latter part of the evening, all that Is
known is the facts learned by the police,
who say that the young fellow attended
a saloon opening at Seventh and Beech
street, and was there until midnight.
Then with several companions Thomson
repaired to the home of Andrew Johnson,
whose son was married early in the even
ing. Thomson was not acquainted with
the Johnson family, and these with m
say that when the house was reached he
did not go inside. His companions went
into the house and took part in the dan
cling and merriment, but young Thomssen
obstinately refused to take part in the
festivities. Several times one or the
other of his friends came out and found
him looking in at the windows it is said.
Shortly before 4 o'clock the party Of
young men who went to the Johnson
home with Thomson were standing on
side porch ThomSSen was observed sit
ting on the shafts Of buggy, Standing a
short distance away, in the yard. Sud-
denly pistol shot rang out, accompanied
by flash of powder, and Thomson was
seen to reel and fall to the ground His
friends rushed to his side to find the
young man unconscious, while there was
an ugly bullet wound ia the right side Of
his head, just above the ear. Glistening
by his side was the revolver with which
Thomson had sent the bullet into his
brain. |-t.
Thomson was still alive, but it was APP
parent that he was fatally wounded. The
Margaret street police were at once noti-
fled and Lieut.. Shogren hurried to the
scene with the patrol wagon. Thomson
was taken to the city hospital as quickly
as possible and was still breathing when
the physicians made an examination.
From the nature of the wound, no effort
could be made to extract the bullet
Every possible aid was rendered the
young man, but to no avail, and he died
shortly after o'clock without having re-
covered consciousness. Coroner Nelson
was notified and took charge of the body.