The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1903-02-02
City News.
ENDS HIS LIFE
AS HE PROMISED
John Tillman, an Aged Lock
smith, Puts a Bullet in
His Brain.

After threatening for several days to
end his life, John Tillman, a locksmith,
seventy years of age, who until re-
Gently peddled lead pencils for a liv-
ing, shot himself in the forehead with
an antiquated horse pistol.
Andrew Schritz, a friend going to
pay Tillman a visit about o'clock yes
terday morning, found his dead body
stretched on a pallet in his shanty in
the rear of the corner of Eagle and
Franklin streets. A bullet hole in his
right temple and the revolver lying be-
side the body told the story
For some time the old man had been
unable to move about much by reason
of old age and severe attacks of rheu-
matism, and last week the neighbors
became alarmed and notified the po-
lice that they feared he was not well.
Accordingly the ambulance was sent
to his place last Friday with DR.. Moore,
police surgeon, in charge. Arriving at
the shanty, the ambulance attaches
found the old man up and moving
around cooking dinner for himself.
When approached on the subject of 60
ing to the hospital he became very in
dignant and told them that he was
quite capable of taking care of himself
He. was left to his own ends.
A lifelong friend of Mr.. Tillman is
Peter Thauwauld, saloonkeeper at Sew
enth- street west and Leech street.
When seen last night Mr.. Thauwauld
said:
~ Saw Ghosts and Witches.
81 have known John Tillman for
thirty-tW years. He was always "a
very eccentric and superstitious man.
He spoke quite frequently of the ghosts
and witches that made a. playground
of his roof at night and complained
bitterly that they kept him awake.
Some time ago he gave me his will
and asked me to keep it for him, say
ing that he was not long for this
world.
Last week 1 went down and spoke
to him about going to the hospital.
I told him that with the good care and
nursing he would receive there he
would soon be able to get out again.
At this, for the first time in our ac-
Quaintance, he showed signs of anger
with me. Before [ went he spoke again
of the nightly orgies of the witches.
and said that if it were not that he
was afraid they might circumvent his
designs he would shoot himself and
thus end the matter. I tried to speak
lightly to cheer him up, but I saw it
was useless. l meant to do something
to prevent his coming to an untimeIy
end, but l put it off too long, 1 guess.
He was once a locksmith and I'm
told that he was an expert at his bust
4IcSS. 4NO, lie HAS no 6IdONeS III the
city. He had brother who died about
six years ago, and the only relative
I know Of in this country is a cousin
in Kansas. The last time l saw the
old man he gave me a letter from this
cousin, saying that in case anything
happened to write him. The cousins
name is George TilIman, a farmer, of
Marysville, Kan.
1.-THE old man was never married.
He was always a severe crank on that
subject. He was born in Germany
as nearly as I can make out, about
seventy years ago. He had but a few
hundred dollars, which he some time
ago asked me to dispose Of in the man
ner I thought best after he was bur
led.
Coroner Miller has decided to hold
no inquest and [ expect that the fun
eral will be held from the undertaking
rooms of William Maggie on Tuesday"
About three years ago a brother OF
Tillman died in his shack, and Tillman
kept the body there for three nights
before reporting the death.