The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1899-07-13
THE SUICIDE OF
CHARLIE GIBBS
Popular Washington Hotel Man
Shoots Himself,
HARD LUCK DROVE HIM TO II.
Was Despondent Over the Loss or His
Wife and Business Reverses-He
Was for Five Years AT the
Ebbitt House.
HARD LUCK DROVE HIM TO IT..

WASHINGTON. July 12-Broken-
hearted on account of the series OF
tnisfortunes. which, in the last few
years had included the loss of his wife
ard his fortune. Charles +. GIBBS, Tor
merly one OF the pr0prlet0rs OK the EDoltt
House. shot and killed himself about
o'clock yesterday afternoon at the nome
of his sister. Mrs. Isabella Crandaii, so
virginia avenue southwest. GlODs dled
shortly after his arrival at the Emer-
gency Hospital where he was taken after
the shooting. Coroner Carr investigated
the circumstances and gave certincate
OF death by suicide. Dr. James j.. Walsh,
Master OF Lebanon Lodge. No. . Free
masons, OF which the deceased was
member. called a meeting OF that organ
izatl0n and arrangements were maze lot
the funeral The remains were removed
from the hospital by an undertaken un-
der direction of the lodge. No definite ar
rangements have been made for the
funeral which viii. however, take place
under Masonic auspices.
Charles r.. Gibbs was wcli-known and
for many years very popular IN Wash
incton. which was his birthplace. He
worked himself up from the position of
clerk tthe Ebbitt House to a partner
ship IN the MANAGEMENT and. during the
years of his connection with The r9te.,
made hundreds OF friends. a few years
ago. upon the severance Of his connec ton
with the Ebbltt House management he
invested his entire means in the remod-
cling of the W0rm'ey Hotel. of which
he became proprietor. This enterprise
proved "a failure. and Gibbs means were
totally exhausted in the unfortunate inc
vcstment.
HARD LUCK ~ MANY VENTURES.
Since that time he had been engaged
b. pr0priet0rs of other places OF public
entertainments but had never been suc-
cc--rul and lately he was engaged in the
insurance business. being a special deputy
of the Ancient order of United Work
men. a beneficial institution. ln tns
Gibbs. TOO. bad but little sIccess. and nus
repeated failures had made him very
Respondent. Four years ago De- .1st his
wife. 10 whom be was deyotediy attach
cd. She died of consumption in Colorado.
where she had been sent in vain nope
of restoring her health.
Though DO times very doNnc3st over bis
evil fortune. Gibbs seldom expressed hH
dependency. and tried Away to pe
cheerful with his children, OF whom De
was very fond. Nothing Boo his recent
conduct had prepared his SISTER. Mls.
Craudau. or his oldest daughter for the
rash act of yesterday For a week past
he had seemed more than usually bright
and at n0 time. even yesterday, had he
seemed respondent or in low spirits. When
the fatal shot was fired Gibbs was alone
Ga the rear room on the lrsl floor " Mrs.
Crandalrs house. About two months ago
be moved from his former residence, az
500 Spruce street. lie Dr0it Park and has
since made his home and that OF his
children with Mrs. Craudau. Mrs Cram
dali was in the basement of her home
about I O'Clock. and an old lady who
lives in the house was in the third floor.
The Gibbs children and Mrs. CrandaiIs
little ones had gone out and We're spend
ing the warm afternoon in the cool shade
of the big trees Don the Smithsonian
grounds. near their home.
STARTLED BY a PISTOL SHOT
The house was very quiet as Mrs. Gran
dahl went about her domestic duties. She
knew that her brother had come in. and
supposed he was in his own room on the
second floor. Suddenly the sound of
pistol shot rang through tho house, rate
ting the dishes in Mrs. Crandalis pantry
and startling her so that she stood mo-
tiOnlcss for moment. waiting for cry
or word 20 explain the terrifying noise.
30 sound followed the shot. and Mrs.
Crandall rushed up 10 the first floor. a
thin curl of smoke in her own room
showed where the shot had been fired.
and entering she saw her brother stretch
ed out on her bed. revolver by his side
and blood pouring from wound IN his
left temple. as well as from his nose ana
mouth. ne spoke 10 him and raised his
head. but his eyes were closed and he
gave no sign Of life. A messenger was
hastily sent for Or Edward ID. Perkins.
of 9i9 Virginia avenue. and on his arrival
he pronounced the wound necessarily
fatal. The dying man was entirely UNI
conscious and suffered no pain. but his
life ebbed fast.
The Emergency Hospital ambulance was
summoned by a policeman and on its ar
rival both Or. Perkins and the hospital
surgeon agreed that there was little use
in attempting to save Gibbs life lie
was however, placed I'm the ambulance
and hurried 70 the hospital. where he died
shortly after being placed In a ward. An
examination OF the wound after death
showed that the pistol had been pushed
close against the left temple and dis
charged. The scalp and hair were scorch-
ed by the powder. The bullet penetrated
the brain ana reached Il ppfHon connect
ing with the nose and mouth, causing se-
we're hemOrrhage from those organs. The
body was placed In the dead room OF the
hospital and last evening vas removed
by the undertakers.
OFTEN JOKED ABOUT THE WEAPON.
Gibbs had often ioked about the pistol
with which he killed himself. II had been
I'm his possession for long time. and NJ
times. when he was In particularly hard
straits. his sister and his little daughter
hid It. fearing that he might be tempted
To end his troubles by suicide. Gibbs al
ways joked them when he found the pis-
tol missing. and finally no one gave the
IDEA OF danger of suicide any thought
Trio yeanon Was NJ .ag calibre.
The little children OF the dying man.
by their cousins. came home
after their father had been taken 10 the |
hosp,tai. They did not realize al FIRST tho
misfortune they hsd suffered and chung