Omaha daily bee., 1902-07-13
DENNY TAKES HIS OWN LIFE
Former Captain Of Police Shoots Himself
Through the Head.
FIGHTS FOR POSSESSION OF REVOLVER
wife and Her Sister Make Desperate
but Vain Effort to wrest the
Weapon from Enthusiastically
Temporarily

DiAOn Oeunys LOT TOUR years night cap
tain Of police during Mayor Jennings ad-
ministration, committed suicide at his
homo, IA Vaughn street, shortly after 3
o'clock yesterday morning. by shooting
himself through the heart. He had been
seriously i'll for several weeks and It Is
believed that the rash deed was COM
mitted while he was temporarily insane
from the effects Of continuous pain and
loss Of sleep. He was also considerably
worried over his business prospects.
Last winter. while serving on the police
force, Denny became quite Ill, but man
aged to remain on duty most Of the time
until Mayor Morgan's election, when the
new force was installed. He engaged in
the saloon business on Broadway, having
as his partner J. e. Reichart. His health
kept failing and for several weeks he had
suffered intense pain and had been unable
to sleep at nights. His enfeebled condition
prevented him from attending to his busi-
ness and last Friday he disposed of his
interest In the saloon to W. c.. Utterback.
When he returned nome Friday night, after
closing UP the transfer of his interest In
the saloon, he appeared greatly depressed
and repeatedly remarked to members Of
his family that he did not know what
would become Of him, as 1t did not seem
INV NA1k AZ WS0AO WV W -SA ~ w
any hard work again. Instead of going to
bed he paced up and down the floor OF
his room all night long. His wife and
sister-in-law used every effort to sooth
him, but failed. About 3 o'clock in the
morning Mrs. Denny heard him searching
In the drawers of the bureau and asked
him what he was looking for. He gave
an evasive answer and went into the sit
ting room. Mrs. Denny's sister suggested
that he had been looking for his revolver
and advised Mrs. Denny to hide II from
him. Mrs. Denny arose from bed and Sc
cured possession of the revolver, but be-
fore she had time to hide it her husband
came back into the bedroom and demanded
1 that she give 1t to him. He said that he
needed the gun to protect himself. They
are after me. but they will not get me II
I can help II. l will put up a stif fight
before they take me-" he said, and he made
an attempt to wrest the revolver from
his wife's grasp. Mrs. Denny and her
sister attempted to persuade him from
taking the revolver and urged him to lie
| down on the bed and rest.
Takes Revolver from wife.
what is the matter with US all going
together?' was his next remark as he
made a renewed and this time successful
attempt to wrest the weapon from his
wife. With the revolver in his hand he
went into the kitchen. intending to go
into the backyard, but the door was locked
and in his excitement he was unable to
! open II. Mrs. Denny and her sister
/ grappled with him, but he threw them
of and started out through the front door
onto the porch. There they grappled with
him again, but again he threw them of
and started to run around to the back of
the house. The now thoroughly terrified
women followed and again caught up with
him and endeavored 10 take the weapon
from him, but once more he succeeded In
evadlng them and ran from the yard into
the street. After going a few PAGES ne
placed the revolver to his heart and hred,
dropping dead. Neighbors. aroused by the
shot and the screams Of the women were
soon on the scene and assisted In carrying
the unfortunate man back to his house.
Medical assistance was summoned, but his
aim had been true and death had evil
IDENTIFY been instantaneous. The body was
later removed to Lunkley's morgue.
Besides his wife, cap" Denny, as he was
Familiarity known by his friends, is sur
vlved by three young children. The funeral,
it is expected, will be held some time
Monday.
In the absence Oh COTOncf AACyhoA IVA
the city, Justice Bryant decided that II
would be best to hold an inquest and sum
moned a jury. which. after viewing the re-
mains yesterday afternoon adjourned until
Tuesday afternoon.
Formerly Lived I'm Omaha.
Dixon Denny had been a resident Of coun-
Gil Bluffs for twenty years, coming here
from Omaha, where he had for several years
been a driver of the old street car lines
He had also been In the employ of Hon
A.. ]. Poppleton as coachman. On coming
to this city he entered the employ OF Vic
tor Jennings and remained with him until
Mr.. Jennings was elected mayor. when ht
was appointed night captain Of police, which
position he held with much credit for foul
years, until Mayor Jennings went out o
ONCE. and was succeeded by Mayor Nor
gan.
Mrs. Denny was completely prostrated
yesterday by the terrible ordeal through
which she had gone and her condition was
most serious. That his continued illness
and inability to sleep. coupled with bust
ness roubies had driven him temporarily
insane, Captain Denny's friends feel as
sured. as those who knew him say had h
been in his right state OF mind he woult
have been the last man to even contem'
plate taking his own life.
Puek's Domestic soap II best