Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-05-24
DELIBERATE SUICIDE
Driven to Desperation by Anaiction, He
Carefully Plans and Accomplishes
Destruction.

Aaron stern, veteran messenger In the
once OF the military secretary. War De-
partment, committed suicide this morning
by shooting himself through the head. The
act was committed in the store room on the
nth floor of the State Department wing OF
the building, an out-of-the-way sort OF
place. seldom visited by any OF the EN-
ployes of the three great departments To-
Gated in the building.
stern had been in bad health since last
June, and was a patient at Providence hos
pital for several months He suffered
mainly from ringing In the ears. which pre-
vented him from sleeping and caused gem
eral depression of spirits His health am
proved slightly in the late fall. and ne was
able to do light work about the ONCE he
continued to be very low-spirited. however,
and complained constantly OF pains IN the
head, which prevented him from getting any
ment for this malady, and his physician en-
couraged the hope OF his ultimate recovery.
but Stern seemed to grow more Respondent
than ever, and settled into state OF mel
ancholy. His self-infiicted death Is attr1b-
uted to his sufferings and his despair Of re-
covery..
The Act Was Deliberate.
The act was committed with the utmost
elaboration, as is indicated by the careful
!
the War Department about 1880 o'clock
this morning, somewhat earlier than usual
and performed his customary duties In
opening all the rooms Of the military secre-
tary's office. When the clerks and other
employees arrived at the office, little Pc
fore o'clock, 1t was noticed that stern
was absent from his accustomed post rms
occasioned no especial surprise at the time,
as 1t was supposed he had been taken sick
and had gone home. About 10 o'clock Mr.:
Keifer, one Of the clerks found bunch OF
keys on his desk. which were afterward
identified as the keys of the store room.
These keys were usually kept by Stern, and
their presence In strange place LED 10
suspicion that something might have nap
pened to the messenger.
AceordingIy Peter Thomas. General Aims
worth's messenger. was sent to the store
room to investigate. He found the absent
messenger sitting on the floor with pis-
toll In his hand and blood streaming from
a wound in the left side of the head. He
was naturally excited and alarmed at his
discovery, and lost no time In reporting IL
Several gentlemen went to the scene, IN
GLIDING DIR. Sunny. medical graduate.
who Is clerk in the military secretary's
office. An examination made by DR.. Sum-
my showed that Stern had been dead about
two hours From the condition of his body
1t was decided that death must have been
almost instantaneous.
/. 1t is evident that Stern had planned the
deed before coming to the department TINS
morning. His every action Indicated pre-
meditation. According to the known cir
cumstances, he had completed hts regular
duties earlier than usual. and had then
gone to the almost deserted room in Sc
cluded part of the building, and there made
deliberate preparations to end his suffer-
ings He first spread some wrappin paper
In convenient spot on the floor, and sat
down upon it, with his back resting against
a roll of carpets and his feet braced against
a desk He had hen placed the muzzle Of
a large pistol against his left ear and fired
the fatal shot When found he was sitting
as described, with the pistol in his left
hand, resting against his breast Apparent
Iy he had not moved muscle since he dis
charged the pistol
A Native Of Russia.
The unfortunate man was seventy-four
years of age. !. He was born in Russia, but
had. been resident Of this country since
1855, when he enlisted in Company B. Sth
Regular Infantry. He was transferred to
the ordnance arm in 1862, and served cred
ftably throughout the civil war. He was
afterward transferred to the general service
and assigned to duty in the War Depart
ment.;a He had served there ever since in
various capacities-as Waterman. as
laborer, as an assistant messenger and then
as g. messenger. In the latter capacity he
was in charge Of blanks, stationery and
supplies. For some time past his home had
been at col G street southwest. Little or
nothing is known OF his domestic Hfe, and
his associates at the department were un-
able to say whether he had family or
relatives In this country. 1t is understood
ne had an elder brother In Jerusalem, and
the latter win be communicated with If pos
sible.
Speaking OF the deceased. Gen. Ainsworth
said he was as faithful. as honest and as
reliable an old man as ever lived and SIM
far tributes OF esteem were made by other
persons In the Office.
The coroner viewed the remains this
afternoon and after hearing all the circum-
stances of the case decided that an inquest
was unnecessary Thereupon friends OF
the deceased took charge OF the remains
and had them removed to GawIer's under
taking establishment, where funeral serv-
Ices will be held tomorrow. Mr.. Stern was
a member of the Masonic fraternity and
will be made in the national cemetery at
Arlington.