The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1904-05-23
ELLIOTT'Sl BODY
FOUND HANGING
FANATIC WHO GAINED NATIONAL
NOToRIETY COMMITS SUICIDE.
Papers on His Person Indicate that
He Was the Victim of an Insane
Self-appreciation-His Rebuf at
the White House Had Preyed Upon
His Mind.

Peter o. Elliott, the Minneapolis
lunatic, who, armed with revolver,
ATTEMPTED to force his way into the
presence of President Roosevelt, is
a suicide. His lifeless body was found
dangling at the end of a short rope.
from the Short Line bridge yesterday
morning. by fisherman. Deputy
Coroner w. B. Murphy cut the body
down and removed it to the county
morgue, where it awaits the arrival
Of q. sister from North Dakota.
Elliott, who had been a fugitive
from the state insane hospital for
SIX months, returned to Minneapolis
last Thursday night and was imme-
diately picked up by the police. In.
formally discharged from the asy-
lun after he had been gone six
months, and he was released. He at
once secured work and boarding
place in South Minneapolis and was
seen about the streets frequently. At
II o'clock Saturday night he was seen
at First avenue S and Washington by
have gone directly to the bridge
where he ended his life.
That Elliott had deliberately
planned self destruction is shown by
the elaborate preparations he had
made. His pockets bulged with let
tiers and newspaper clippings, in
which he tried to explain the motive
of his course in life as we'll as those
prompting him to- kill himself. Por-
tons of these letters are incoherent.
In others he seems to have a good
conception of what he is trying to
tell. Strangest of all is his descrip-
ton of himself, which, in brief, is
as follows: naf4
A Famous Character.
There are people who, on account
Of their physical makeup, continu-
ally cause the world to go backwards,
who look homely instead Of hand
some. s5osT
"As an opposite to such persons
there is the famous Peter o. Elliott
| who is one of the planets most orig
| he was no real beauty. This was be-
cause of a too short nose, and a little
| too protruding forehead. With these
exceptions he was quite handsome
man, with fine, manly face, heavy
| pompadour, and steel-blue eyes. Il
! showed the Swedishs Napoleon soul, OF
| in its entirety a good heart and g
magician's head, and as far as the
body is concerned one Of natures
greatest works, as if made Of the bes
steel, equipped with great strength
Under the heading, Talents" ELI.
OFT is at considerable length discussed
as follows:
ono. i. In poetry he was the great.
est magician the world has seen since
| the creation.
''No. 2. And as an orator he gave
promise Of becoming the creates
since the beginning of the world, ant
was therefore equipped with all thu
necessary talents, and has writer
some Of the greatest American ora
! lions (to the loved American people)
j mo. 8. Elliott was born to be grea
as an inventor Ess' i!1hFi> ,4i.
mo. 4. He was also born with tn
I talents Of an artist 800 as to give tn
world some " tfel greatest painting
from his own hand. 80 'ss'is'
mo. g.. And o21that peace on eartl
could be assured, he was one Of tn
greatest genii in war--a Napoleon"
In a letter covering four pages, Ell
lott writes to Mayor, Haynes and ex
plains why he committed suicide. H
says that he regrets his attempt t
| see the president last fall and that h
did not intend him any harm. On tn
contrary he wished only to pay hi
respects. He hints that the blam
} heaped upon him for this is largely re
} sponsible for his suicide.