Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1904-08-23
Playful Dispute Leads to Fatal
Shooting of John Coyan at
Council Bluffs
THE TRAGEDY is STRANGE ONE
Idle Threat of Husband to Shoot
Himself and Wife With Gun Which
He Supposed Was Not Loaded Re-
suits in Sad Accident at Council
Bluffs.
Special to Times Republican.

| Special to Times-Republlcan.
| Council Bluffs, Aug. 23.-From the
effects of a gaping bullet wound, sell
| inflicted while he and his wife were
having playful dispute, John Coyar
died at 9 o'clock last night at his
home, 3417 Fourth avenue. His death
occurred just seven hours after he
| fred the shot, and during the interim
he never regained consciousness. While
Coyan was dying his wife was hyster
ical large part of the time, making
passionate appeals to recall him to
life.
At 2 o'clock John Coyan and his wife
Clara, were in their bedroom talking
over the plans for their new house
which is under construction at the
corner OF Thirty fourth street and
Fourth avenue. Mrs. Coyan's father.
Andrew Henshaw, had been working
on the building. but he objected to one
OF the other carpenters who was en-
ployed in the work and refused to con-
tinue. The workmen had been busy
all morning. when Mrs. Coyan spoke
of the matter to her husband. She
says he told her she would drive him
crazy, and that he would shoot him.
self and her too. At this she says
she told him to shoot her, but not him.
SELF
Shortly after Coyan picked up re-
volver that they kept in their room,
but which they had never made prac-
tice of keeping loaded, and looked into
the chambers. Apparently satisfied
that there were no cartridges in it he
looked around for some ammunition
and being unable to find any. playfully
pointed the weapon at his head on the
left side, being left handed, and pulled
the trigger.
To the horror Of both, there was
flash of flame, heavy discharge. and
the ball from a 3s-calibre shell crashed
into Coyans brain. Mrs. Coyan was
what had happened She needed not
to give the alarm, for there were sew
eral men IL the yard with her father.
They We're Ed Clausen, Fred Land and
Fred Merrill.
When they entered the bed room
they found Mrs. Coyan lying beside
her wounded husband. and crying pit
eously to him to come back to her.
The revolver was lying on the bed, but
Coyan's hand still touched 1t. a mes
senger was sent for a physician, and
DR.. Keller responded. Coroner Trey
nor was also notified. and answered
the call to officiate, as he supposed. in
his official capacity. However the
wounded man was alive when DR..
Treynor arrived. and the latter turned
the case over to DR.. Keller.
All efforts to pacify Mrs. Coyan
failed. She refused opiates and could
not be induced to leave her husbands
side. 20, l know he never meant to
kill himself she cried, I'VE had only
had little quarrel and we never meant
anything Between her paroxyms of
grief she muttered that they had often
had little differences, but each had
always understood each other. and
they had always laughed off the quar-
rels. She could not talk long connect
eddy, but broke out in bitterness, TAX
Ing upon herself the blame for the act.
Il never can get over it. I will al
ways feel that am to blame" she said
and her agony was pitiable.
The bullet, which had passed clear
bedded in the plastering Of the room.
However, he fingered until O'Clock
last night when he breathed his last.