The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1900-01-13
M. c. MITCHELL'S DEATH
Shocked the People of Martins
Ferry Yesterday The Suicide
Theory is Fatuous-sketch Of the
Deceased Citizen.

Ferry Yesterday = The Suicide
Theory is Fatuous-sketch Of the
Deceased Citizen.
Yesterday, shortly before noon, Mar
tins Ferry was stirred by the sad
news which spread like wild fire that
an honored citizen had been shot. When
1t became known that ex-Mayor Mat
thew c. Mitchell had been shot, death
resulting Instantly, the city was filled
with gloom, all recognizing the fact
that however 1t occurred, Martins
Ferry had lost one of its most patriot
ic, liberal and most highly respected
citizens.
About 1880 o'clock yesterday morn
ing, Mr., Mitchell, who had been Ill for
two weeks, feeling much improved and
able to be about the house, decided he
would take advantage of his indIsposi-
ton and clean his firearms. Having
produced the guns, one shot gun and
the other revolver, he proceeded to
clean the former and then turned his
attention to the SS.caItbre Sterling re-
volver. The revolver was In a bad con-
dltIon, the cartridges being corroded.
He elected four cartridges from the
chamber and in some manner as he
was trying to take out the fifth and Ia, t
one, the gun was discharged. How or
what caused It is not known, The hull
let penetrated the heart, causing death
almost instantly.
During the time occupied in cleaning
the guns and until a couple Of minutes
before the shot occurred, Mrs. Mitchell
had been In the room with her husband
and stated that when she left the room
he was in good spirits. She is firm
believer that the affair was not lnten-
tional. Mrs. Mitchell stepped into an
adjoining room on an errand and while
there heard the shot, and, hurrying in
to the room. arrived in time to see her
husband sink back in the chair. The
ball entered the left breast and pene-
trated the heart. Physicians were I'M
medlntely summoned, but life vas ex-
tInct before they arrived
Many reports were In circulation as
to the cause Of the tragedy, but by
those who best knew the man the
theory Of suicide is not entertained for
a moment. While Mr.. Mitchell had in
the past few years some financial trou-
bles. they had all been satisfactorily
adjusted within the past few months,
and the theory that this might have
been the cause seems fatuous. His Ill
ness, which was grip" in mild form,
had not been Of sufficient duration or
OF such serious nature as to cause
dependency, and the general opinion
is that 1t was purely accidental
NJ. c. Mitchell was not only one Of the
most popular and best known citizens
OF Martins Ferry but also of Belmont
county. having been born and reared
almost In sight Of the Ohio river In
that county, on Scotch Ridge July %,
1870 He was the son OF Mr.. and Mrs.
John Porter Mitchell Mr.. Mitchell was
married in 1879 to Miss Mary Rennon,
granddaughter Of William Kennon,
who was at one time judge OF the SUI
prcme court of Ohio, He was staunch
and lifelong Republican and held sew
eral city and county officers, He was
mayor OF Martins Ferry for three
terms from 1882 to 1886, inclusive, and
1883 and 1889 and was FOR two terms
justice Of the peace, He was also
postmaster for four years, under Pres
ldent Harrlson's administration He
was chief clerk In the patent office Mt
Washington for three years, 1865, 1864