The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1902-02-08
DEATH FROM
HIS OWN HAND
George Sutton Shot Himself
in His Brothers. Store,
WORRIED OVER ACCIDENT
Is the Only Reason That Has
Been Assigned.
TO BE MARRIED SUNDAY
Was a Man of Exemplary
Habits and Many Friends.
TO BE MARRIED SUNDAY


yesterday morning by shooting himself
in the head, in his brothers store room,
ar SOC East Murdoch avenue. That is the
theory advanced by the police and it
seems the only plausible one, but the
mans friends and relatives win not be-
lieve but that he was murdered.
The mans body was found in the store
about half past six yesterday morning
By Herman Lehmbeck, who has a meat
market in the same building. The body
was lying on a pile OF sacks I'm the rear
part OF the store. The sacks apparently
had been placed carefully on the floor
The man S OvercOat had been thrown
carefully over his legs and the edge was
tucked under his legs and he looked when
found as if he had wrapped himself up in
the coat. The body was laying on the
side with the face upturned and close
against a sack Of potatoes. Ills feet were
under an old desk which formed the end
CT the store counter.
The bullet entered the head on the right
Side and about an inch back of the ear
There are a very few powder burns on
the head and this was one of the reasons
advanced that he did not XIII himself, as
II would seem that if he had held the
The man right arm was thrown across
the body and few inches from the hand
was the weapon that was used. Il is a
5Z-caiIhre revolver and there were four
shells in it, one Of them empty. The re-
Nclver waS an old rusty one that belonged
10 Mr.. Suttons nephew and had been in
the desk of the store for more than o
year and Mr.. " NJ Sutton. the owner
Of the store. said that he had entirely
@f,~a Il
he shells in the weapon show that they
we're carried around in some ones pocket
for long time. as they are worn smooth
and an Of the tallow taken off and the
brass and lead is bright and glistening.
The gun is a very old one. and the cy-
Under would hardly work and il is
wonder that it ever went off at all Depu-
iN sheriff Mcpherson was ordered to cry
the gun by Che coroner and he snapped if
six times before the shell exploded It
has beer laying in the desk for so long
that every wheel was rusty and refused
to do their work
The upper right hand vest pocket. the
eft hip pocket and the right trousers
pocket We're turned wrong side out The
man watch was in his pocket and had
not beop disturbed and there was Some
money fn the cash drawer which was stiu
there in the morning A slspicion Of
account Of the position of the pockets.
hut this was dispelled when it was learn
~ That George Sutton had given his
nonav to Mrs. Alice Stevens the night
before
George Sutton died after midnight last
ni9ht rs be did not leave the home of
Mrs Alice Stevens until twenty minutes
- twelve and this was two blocks away
from fhe stoTe. From the examination
himself about 3 o'clock as il was not Vet
stiff ana the undertaken said that the
heat would not leave the body for five or
sig hours after death and those who
touched the body say that If was warm.
Tho theory advanced by the police is
that the man Went TO the store and then
back TO the rear whore he pat the sacks
On the 1oor and then sat there for sew
oral hours. Tie apparently got cold and
wrapned his feet in his overcoat. He
was leaning against a sack Of potatoes
ar3 then whom he did shoot himself he
zen over beside the sack instead of SIN
roaming his sitting posture. Where his
head lev there was a great pool Of blood
ia thc sacks and this extended 70 the
floor. hut there was no appearance Of q
struggle.
The orlv theory as 70 the reason Of
George sutton killing himself was I'D
,anced h~ John Koontz. AIr. Koontz.
Ain tm Sattcn and George Sutton were
On the store q few minutes before eight
o'clock 7fr KoontZ said TO reporter
Tor the I-asle yesterday;
George WAS sitting behind tho stove
and he seemed blue about something A
Nirs. Scott Waddeliv had died a few hours
before ana about three months aro while
driving q delivery WAGON be accidentfv
ran into a buggy containing Ms. Wad-
r. an rfr~ s-f-- >