The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1900-09-28
FIRES BULLEI
INTO HIS BRAIN
Veteran Simmons Com
mits Suicide at Ford S.
FROM SOLDIERS HOME.
Came from Hampton to Meet Old.
Friends from Philadelphia.
SAW THE FIREMEN'S PARADE.
THEN Went to the Vcranda oft Cur
avansary. Where Dc Turned Re.
volycr On Himself Nhilo Sit
ting in a Chair-Rcmains TO
be Held Here: for IN
SlructiOnS.
SAW THE FIREMEN'S PARADE.

r.. w. Simmons, veteran Of the Civil
War and an inmate of the National Sol
dIers. Home, blew his own brains out on
the portico of New Ford Hotel at 1:S0
o'clock yesterday afternoon. He died at
9:2o O'Clock last night without having re-
gained consciousness.
This tragedy is, in many respects one
of the sadGest that ever took place in
Richmond Mr.. Simmons came 10 Rich
mond Wednesday night to attend the
nremen's convention, in the hope that he
might meet some OF his old friends and
acquaintances am0n2 the veteran tiremen
from Philadelphia. lie .eg!Stereu at Ford $
and was assigned to i beu in one OF Iie
pallors, every room in the hotel being oc-
cupied Mr.. Simmons had money ana was
rather liberal i'll the matter of treating
those with whom he came into contact TO
drinks and cigars. Wednesday night he
slept very little, and was out bright and
seaEly yesterday morning, taking with
Philadelphia tiremen and others who
struck him as beng good fellows Al
though about sixty-iivc years OF age, MI.
Simmons possessed a penchant for story
telling and at times was interestingly re-
miniscent.
SAW L ii Il IthItAbiJ.
While the companies and bands We're
fornng for the parade, Mr.. Simmons was
out on Broad Street, and he did not appear
to be in a specially melancholy mood until
after he had sen the pageant pass. He
then. according to what has been learned
regarding the matter, went uptown ana
bought a cheap revolver. 3S-ca.pre, which
he had loaded and placed in d paste-board
box.
CAME AWAY WITHOUT CONSENT.
When Mr.. Simmons learned that the
Soldiers Home Band was coming TO
Richmond to attend the festivities IN
ciflent to the lriremenis Convention, he
remarked that he would like TO SO along,
in order to meet with u number OF his
old friends in the association OF veteran
tiremen To use the language OF the
. inmates OF the home, Mr.. Simmons.
jumped the fence or left the institution
without permission, and came to this
CITY. He registered at Ford,s Hotel,
had money. and spent it freely.
At 80 clock in the afternoon Mr. SIM
mons was sitting in one of the big chairs
on the left-hand side of the Broad-Street
entrance to Ford's Hotel There We're
not less than fifty persons in theology
and on the veranda and streets some
young man, whose name could not pe
learned, saw the gray-haired veteran II,
the chair apparently half asleep, ana
said: Poor old fellow; he's going to
o1e SOON
..He is going to die SOON" replied the
old man, lool1lng up suddenly. ana lean
inr on enc side in his. char he
took his revolver from the box, placedthe
t1e n,llzzie against Ills right ear and fired.
The aged solder fell over, but managed
which fell on the floor before he lost con-
sciousness.
STARTLED THE DRUMMER
A drummer. who sat within two feet
of Mr. Simmons, but inside the lobby, va S
having his shoes cleaned ine report OF
the pistol caused him 70 jump several feet,
and he afterward admitted tnat ne .thot5ll II
he had been shot himself.
Major Paul Otto, drum-malor at lne
So,diers' Home, knows Mr. Simmons We'll.
Ssid he .afte. the shooting Mr.. Simmons
had money and appeared to be well ana
-banny and / do not see why he should
have wanted to tax his own lie he
NAV have had some family troubles, Dut
if he did / never heard Of them.
DIED LAST NIGHT.
Mr.. Simmons was carried aIter 'he
shooting to elNG CITY Sait'i.'iiS
everything known 70 medical sl>itl. "t7
done for him. DR.. Fisher worked uneeas- as
ingly on him. but the Old man cenu.tsoll t, u.
Vas s,1ch that his recovery Would nave
been a miracle.
Superintendent Davis, of the almshouss,
sent a telegram last night TO Governor
Woodfin. at the Hampton Soldiers ftonle'
ar,prising that official of the d1ath OF MI.
Simmons, and asking for instructions as
70 the disposition of the remains during
f,-s last hours the old veteran had no
callers and Mr.. Davis is not in possession
of any information as to his family con-
nections if he has any.
It is said that 1Ir. Simmons told seVsra1
persons yesterday that hs intended to XII
himself because ne could not stop drink
ing but no one paid amy attsntion 10 Ms
threats against his own life, 1t being sen
erally supposed that he was taking lott
from the effects of liquor
The dvwill be held for a day or-tW
ar u.til Governor Woodtin directs Whii'
shah be done with them. or the feiatiseS
of the deceased calm the remains