Elk City mining news. (Elk City, Idaho) 1903-1913, 1904-06-18
A BRAVE MAN.
After Six Days of Awful Misery Sey-
mour Shoots Himself.


The Grangeville Standard says Earl
Seymour, partner of o. L. Benson, left
Towards place for Bear creek May Fl,
going up Salmon river, which route no
one hardly ever travels as it is very
dangerous one, but it is a saving of ten
miles. In jumping dawn from rock to
level place through thicket of brush,
the hammer of his gun caught on bush
and exploded the gun, the ball tearing
out the end of the scabbord and passing
through his leg about six inches below
the knee, breaking both. bones. This
happened about three miles above the
old state bridge, near where Fall creek
empties into Salmon river. After the
accident he apparently crawled to the
river, then tried to crawl to the top of
the mountain to what is known as the
Studebaker cabin on the old Warrens
trail, but could not make it and came
back, as the distance is about three
miles and straight up the mountain. He
then tried to go up the river to get to
James Carey's place at the old wire
bridge, but only got one-fourth of a
mile from where he shot himself, and
there waited for some one to come to
his assistance. He had with him three
or four cans of milk and about three
pounds of bacon, and this was all gone
when he was found.
The accident happened about 7:30 a.
M, May 81, and as near as we can fig
ure from his messages and appearances
he must have died about! thursday night,
the 26th, having lived about six days.
He was found by Jackson Howard and
Joseph Williams on Sunday, May Both.
He had shot away all the cartridges he
had for his gun, except one, trying to
raise help, and finally used the last shell
to shoot himself, the ball going in behind
the right ear and coming out under the
left one.
The Florence and Salmon river boys
all went to the place Monday, the Both.
He was buried where he was found as
it was impossible to get the body out
without boat, and the river is too dan
gerous to attempt that now.
Following are extracts from letters
written by Seymour to Benton before
he died:
accidently shot myself through the
leg and broke both bones. If ANYBODY
finds me, please write my father, o. D.
Seymour. Goodbye" (Signed) Sam.
Another note written on an envelope
but the writing was rubbed and blurred
till it was hard to make out. He had
been out of his head until he had lost
track of time. This is what can be
made out of it:
''This is the eighth day since I was
shot. L am having hard time. Can't
stand it much longer. l wore myself
out trying to drag myself up the noun
tain, but it was too steep and rocky, and
water too far apart. If 1 had Struck
water believe l could have made it,
"Mr. o.. L. Benson: Some brush
caught on the hammer of my gun and it
went off and shot me just below the
knee and broke both bones. I can't
travel. l will hold out as long as can.
then shoot myself. 1 am in awful pain
| Try and get something out of our prop
erty and send my part home. Love to
everybody. Goodbye"
"This is my ninth day and I am in
awful misery. l have been expecting
somebody every day up or down the
river, but have given up all hopes now.
Make 1T as easy as you cam
(Signed) M. E. Seymour.
Dear Father, Mother and Sister: I
met with horrible accident and have to
} die alone. sam -
The dead mans parents live at Little
Sioux, Iowa. Seymour was 20 years of
age, unmarried, did not use liquor or
tobacco, and made friends Wherever he