The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1902-04-15
WIFE AGREED 10 /
Peculiar Suicide of a Promi-
nent Oklahoma Citizen.
DEATH BEFORE DISGRACE
Preferred to XIII Himself to
Killing Another.
DEATH BEFORE DISGRACE

Oklahoma City. 0. T, april 1.-THE
Oklahoma tells this peculiar story Of the
suicide OF A. D. Smith:
The story Of the suicide Of y. D. Smith.
lhe cattle man. a graphic description OF
which occurred in yesterdays Okla
4 homan, is given additional interest by
the relation of certain facts in connec-
ton with the SAD affair which were de-
! Teloped yesterday, circumstances which
| mark it sa very peculiar individual case
in 4 class Of crime which develops many
rel uarkable and sensational features.
7. lcreditable as it may seem, it is never
| the. 'ess a fact that the suicide had talked
| the matter over with his wife and had
gain I'd her consent TO the commission
! Of the rashly importunate act Of self
destru ction- He had convinced her that
! it was the only alternative to prevent
the COZ umi ssion by him Of the crime OF
! murder an suffering the penalty Of
death ther efor or becoming q fugitive
/ from Justice and d wanderer upon the
face Of creation.
The REM ms OF the suicide were yes
ter6ay rem owed from the Cohman resi-
| dence, at % Noble street, and shipped on
| the Santa. Re to Paola, l. r., for inter
! n.ent. Acco npanyIng the remains on the
same train were Mrs. =. D. Smith. the
wife Of the deceased; Minnie Thomas,
Tom Thornton and Parks King, the lat
ter gentlemen being friends Of the de-
ceased.
! Yesterday morning prior TO her de-
/ parture, Mrs. Smith talked freely of the
! suicide and the cause which led up to
It to Mrs. Cofman, and substantially all
the conversation which occurred be-
tween them was related TO an Oklaho-
man reporter last evening, as follows;
Mrs. Smith was NTH calmer this
morning and before going away came
into the kitchen where was at work
ana told me much Of the story Of their
troubles and the resulting tragedy. She
told me that ever since the trouble came
up, three months ago, Mr.. Smith had
been debating with her as to whether he
should take the life Of the man who had
wronged h m or should end his troublea
and avoid the other crime by taking his
own life. She had demurred to either
alternative suggested and I know that
she had been worried by the matter dur
ing that period for she always looked so
badly that I thought she was approach
ing death herself, though I had not been
advised of any serious ailment afflict-
ing her. Whenever came into her room
I found her lying down on the bed and
she had the appearance of an invalid.
When 1 inquired whittier she was sick
she always replied that she was feeling
badly
"She told me yesterday morning that
she had finally given up hope Of dissuad-
ing Mr.. Smith from his purpose Of self
destruction and had finally assented to
it, asserting that she would die with him
in the same way. To this he had dis
scented. saying that there was no use Of
that and that he wanted her to live. He
finally secured a promise from her that
she would not take her own life and that
she would not be grieved at his death.
She said she found it impossible to exc
cute this last promise; and that she had
not realized how the loss of the husband
she loved so dearly would affect her.
though knowing that he wanted to die
and desired that she should not mourn
his passing.
They had last talked of the matter
a short time prior TO the event. had
made all arrangements, and Mr.. Smith
had written about ten letters to diff
ferent parties one to herself. one to Mr..
Thornton, another to Minnie Thomas.
one to an uncle in NARROW, / T., one TO
stock company at Kansas City with
which he had dealings, and others to
personal friends at various points in IN
dian territory.
Mrs. Smith said she knew just when,
where and how the suicide would occur;
that when Mr.. Smith has stepped out
of the door for the last time he had said
10 her, You viii soon know all
she said Mr. Smith frequently re-
marked THAT either the man who had
injured him would have TO die or himself
and that perhaps it were best that ne
should die. Il was useless TO live longer
after they had robbed him of everything
be had"
Mrs Conman stated that the Smiths
had been used 90 plenty of money and
had always lived well and dressed wen
up to the time their trouble had com
menced and she believed that the time
had come when they were practically at
the end of their means. and the husband
did not think life worth living in re-
duced circumstances ana with judgment
covering every tNll& Alat ne uliENl aC
cumulate. and ne perhaps felt the wife
would be better able TO get along i'm the
world from the funds she would secure
from his insurance. Airs. CoGman also
related that Minnie Thomas. who had
lived with the Smiths Tor n number Of
years. was snroute from NARROW T. IT,
90 beg home az Norman. when AIr smith
mes her III EI Reno and induced her to
ston OF az this place and rUt mp az the
Windsor hotel until MS wifes return
and had sot her permission O. keep her
none. 10 crlc- that she would NOT leave.
She had arrived here Sunday and did not
know that 1Irs Smith had returned frcm
the territor, on Thursday until Mr
Thornton had been sent fer Just prior
II the tragedy
ln the suicides letter 20 MS wife Mr.
Co0man SAYS he told her She had been
q dear wife to him ana asked her to ror-
eiva hin for the ACT Tze asked Miss
Thomas also 90 be e daughter % his
wife lIe ha5 also s6e6 the torefver-
oss az Nr. ana Mrs. Coaman Tor COM
rnitting She act unon their premises. li.r
M Every Roman
issl.---Sts1i az g -,i,1 t1a-v