New-York tribune., 1901-06-13
BLEW OUT HIS BRAINS.
A KLONDIKE PROSPECTOR RETURNS
HOME AND KILLS HIMSELF.


Stanley Wallace Gardiner forty two years old
a returned Klondike prospector committed sui
eide In Port Chester at early hour yesterday
morning by blowing his brains out with A
calibre revolver. Gardiner unmarried. He
lived with his father. William w Gardiner
retired New-York patent lawyer, in Monroe
Place about two miles from Port Chester The
body was discovered at o'clock this morning
lying on the veranda Of the house. by Harry Van
Tassell. dairyman. who serves the family with
milk Gardeners hand was still ciutching the
revolver. portion Of the head, including both
eyes was torn off completely. and the veranda
was covered with blood. The sight alarmed
the dairyman that he drove away as quickly as
possible without arousing the family. He after
ward met Justice of the Peace Stephen Marshall,
who informed Mr. Gardiner who told Coroner
Banning that his of highly nervous
temperament. Mr.. Gardiner said that there was
no doubt that the terrible sights witnessed by
his son in the Klondike and his failure to find
gold unbalanced his mind and caused him to
end his life.
Young Gardiner went TO the Klondike in 1898.
He borrowed about $1,000 from his father. and.
with thirty others composing the Connecticut
Mining and Trading Company. Incorporated for
S2.00O.O0o. set out for Alaska. The company
did not stay in the Klondike long. a quarrel
broke up the company, and most of the men
from Port Chester and Stamford returned home
disheartened having lost ALL
Gardiner and another man. however. remained.
They staked out claims. which proved worth
less. and spent two hard winters there. Gar
diner went over the dangerous Chilkoot Pass,
and during the journey he saw men swallowed
up in crevices and dying from cold and hunger.
and IL is thought that the horrors of those two
i,,ser in hat ne
his health He returned to Port Chester about
a year ago. His friends noticed soon after his
arrival that his mind was apparently not as
strong as when he left home. He talked con-
tinually of the Klondke and said that he would
return there II he could raise money 10 fit him
self out Mr. Gardiner did not encourage his
son TO make a second trip. This annoyed him
greatly and he threatened to blow out his
brains. His threats. however, were made so
frequently that the family after a while ceaseu
to he alarmed.
Yesterday afternoon Mr.. and Mrs. Gardiner
went to Mount Vernon. where they had forlneIl!
lived TO visit friends. Stanley and his younger
brother, Iangion, about eighteen years ola. re-
manned at home After seeing his parents leave
Stanley went upstairs into his brothers room
and throwing his arms about his neck Kissed
II have come to bid you goodby. Langdon,"
he said This is my last day on earth.
why, what 90 you mean inquired Lang
dom in alarm. surely you are not going TO
die
That's just what I'm going TO do replied
the brother My life has been failure. IN
going to seek out some lonely place in the "oous
and put bullet through my brain.
Before Langdon could restrain him his brother
thrust his gold watch and keys into his hands
and ran out of the house into the woods near by.
He had with him Colts revolver, which he had
ca rried while in the gold fields. Gardiner did
not kill himself Immediately. He went TO Port
Chester and spent the evening. About l. O'Clock
Louis Gerard saw him in a Port Chester hotel.
and invited him to get into his wagon and ride
home. Gardiner accepted the invitation. At
that time Gerard says he seemed entirely ra-
tional and in good spirits. He made no refer
ence to his intention to kill himself. Gerard let
him at the house, and then drove on. The
report of pistol shot was heard 10y the family
between II and O'Clock. Mr.. Gardiner thought
that Stanley trying to alarm him. Lang
don feared that his brother was in earnest, and
his first impulse TO rush out. but his mother
restrained him. IF he is out Of his head enough
to be shooting at the house, he might shoot you.
too" she said
AS no more shots were heard the family sup
posed that everything all right and
turned to sleep. They did not wake up until
Judge Marshall drove up to the door at o'clock
and told them Of the body on the veranda. II IS
thought that Gardiner killed himself at the time
the pistol report heard The bullet went
through his head and embedded itself in the cell
ing Of the YeTanda.