Adams County news. [volume] (Ritzville, Wash.) 1898-1906, 1903-01-28
BY THE PISTOL ROUTE.
Harry A. Mueller on Sunday forming
Commits Suicide.

The community was thrown into state
of excitement Sunday morning upon the
discovery of the lifeless form Of Harry A.
Mueller at his residence, one of the cot
tages of the Ritzville FIGURING Mills and
formerly the home of Benz. Roth, situa-
ted only few steps north of the Touring
mill. Mr.. Mueller was the senior mem
Der of the firm of Mueller & Palmeter,
proprietors Of the liquor establishment
and bowling alley, opposite the depot
known as Harry Place" The deceased
had been having much difficulty Of late
with his eyesight which had been failing
and for the past couple of weeks had
been in Spokane for treatment where the
oculist gave him little hope and indicated
that it would be only a matter of time
until he would become totally blind.
Saturday he stated that he had not slept
for four nights and was seeking an opiate
for relief. Saturday night himself, wife
and baby of one year occupied bed
lounge just off The parlor, and between !
and 5 o'clock in the morning Mrs. Muel-
Ter was partially awakened by her hus-
band kissing her saying it was too crowd
ed there and he would go upstairs ard
retire. The report of the death dealing
shot never reached the ear of the wife
and at eight o'clock she was Mortified to
find him in the upper room in kneeling
posture by the bedside, his face and arms
pillowed in the white coverlet, great
pool of blood, and the deadly revolver
tightly gripped in the right hand. His
last act preparatory to plunging into
eternity was the removal of his gold
spectacles which he habtually wore,
laying them carefully on the spread in
way indicating cool elaboration. Not
struggle or movement was made after
the leaden life taking messenger shatter-
ed the brain, the 3S calibre bullet enter
ing the right temple passing through the
head and lodging just beneath the skin
over the left ear, leaving the body in
most life.like and remarkably natural
position.
The deceased came here about two
years ago and for time was employed
as bar tender in the Porak saloon and
prior to engaging in the business year
ago was clerk in OTIS hotel. He was
born in Germany and was thirty-two
years of age. He was of melancholy ma
ture, gentlenlanly in department and was
generally well liked. Nervous, with ten
dency to constant brooding and with
broken heart he gave up the worlds
fight against the devil and unfortunate
circumstances. Behind the curtain there
are sad features which cntitle the dead
husband and living wife and child to
sincere sympathy.
He was married to Miss Hulda Well
sandt, his present wife, soon after COM
ing to this city. Mrs. Ed. A. Palmcter
being her elder sister.
County Coroner DIR. J. w. Henderson
who resides at Lind came up promptly
but decided that the case was plainly
self destruction and no inquest would be
necessary. The body was removed to
the Haight undertaking rooms where it
remained until yesterday when the fun
eral occurred at p. m. at the M. L.
church conducted by Rev. T. H. Fertig
followed by burial in Ritzville cemetery.
Upon examination of papers he left a
statement of his business affairs was
found giving brief invoice OF his prop
erty interests here. None of his effects
contained information of his people or
the names of any relatives and it is said
that no one here can throw any light
upon the subject. Suffice it to say that
the sufferings which were SO quickly and
tragically ended by the act OF his own
hand tell us that he could no longer bear
up under the awful strain, that the hui
man heart could endure no more and to
his clouded vision this was the only av-
enuc of escape to that haven of refuge
where the wicked cease from troubling
and the weary are at rest.
No man is perfect; no man lives who
has not made mistake. Mistakes are
the mle-stones and markers in a mans
life. Mistakes are the things that give
US experience.