The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1901-08-19
CAUSES THE SUICIDE OF THREE
MEN,
Strange Thread of Circumstance Con-
Meeting Bandmaster Kaufman, Jew
eler Hornet and Sergeant Scott.

Shortly after guard mount yesterday
morning, George H. Scott, sergeant in
the Seth Coast Artillery shot himself
fatally with his Krag- -Jorgensen at
Camp Mckinley.
In a brief note discovered after his
death, i'll health and depression OF
spirits were stated to be the causes that
led to the suicide but there is deep
impression among the dead soldiers
comrades that the Sergeants melancho-
liza of late can be ascribed to other and
more supernatural reasons
A strange and mysterious thread of
circumstances connects the suicide of E.
C. Kaufman at one time bandmaster
of Deweys flagship, the Olympia, the
fate of Ernest c. Horneff whose strange
disappearance few weeks ago is still
unaccounted for, and the self-sought
death Sergeant Scott.
Kaufman killed hir2zelf on January
"a of this year, curiously enough the
anniversary of the day Scott first
enlisted, to avoid the disgrace that
would be brought about by the ex-
posure of the charges under which the
police were seeking to arrest him. His
personal effects included a bass viol
and two violins The bass Viol was lett
by the direction of the dead mans let
ter to the mana cement of the Orpheum
to defray certain expenses. Neither of
one of them, not a full siXed instrument
having been purchased by Kaufman
for a young girl. The music company
endeavored to trace the violin, Kauff-
man not having paid for it, but were
unable to do so.
The other violin, Kauffmann's own
property, was, it is believed by the
soldiers of the camp, possessed by an
evil genius, a hoodoo, that led to the
undoing of the three men, including
Sergeant Scott
1t has transpired that the fateful in
strument was given or sold to Hornef,
the missing jeweler whose fate is still
causing his friends and employers anX-
iety, by Kaufman shortly before his
suicide Hornet being Il musician of
some parts and a performer on the
violin. Under the bowling of the jeweler
and matchmaker the evil genius of the
fiddle is supposed to have woven It's
weird spell over Hornet leading to his
mysterious disappearance that mas not
yet been accounted for satisfactorily.
From Hornet the violin passed by
sale or gift into the hands of its last
owner Sergeant Scott, who, besides
playing the piano and mandolin was a
sl<illful performer upon the instrument
It is claimed by the adherents of the
hoodoo story, and they are numerous,
that the violin had been but short
time in the possession OF J1e SeTSedlll
before he became visibly affected with
attacks of melancholia, eliminating last
week in periods when he was for short
intervals seemingly out OF his right
mind, muttering to himself and shun-
ming the companionship of his fellows
From these overheard mutterings oi
Scott was gathered the fact that the
violin was looked upon by him as an
entity, something more than mere
Sapsalass life1ess instrument.
AS far as the often disconnected
murmurings could be strung together
Scott buried the violin on Tuesday OF
Wednesday last and seemed for a time
relieved of the shadow that had been
hanging over him.
The tragic history of this violin has
piuued curiosity as to its hiding place
and active search for it is now being
made.
On Saturday evening he was seen ir
a saloon on the Queen Street extension
decidedly the worse for liquor and or
Sunday morning a shot called the deac
mans comrades to his quarters TO finC
the sergeant dead by his own act.
The shot was heard about $3.50 Yester
day morning by those in the vicinity o.
Scott's room in the CampMckinley par
racks The room was found to be lock
ed Private Adolph saw the body OF
Scott lying across his bed In an un'
natural pose and notified Leutenan
Hancock who arrived on the scene al
most simultaneously with Surgeon
McAdory who had also been summoned
The blood was still ebbing from thu
wound in the soldiers breast but life
was pronounced extinct.
The deceased had apparently seated
himself on the bed with the butt of hi
rifle on the floor and the muzzle point
ing directly over his heart. While on
hand guided the course of the fata
bullet. the other held a stick that en-
abled him to reach and offset the trig
ger.
Death was instantaneous, the bulle
coming through the shoulder and enter
ing the wall of the room at an angl
that pierced the wood at height o
about ten feet