The San Francisco call., 1904-07-15
EXPIRES WHERE
HIS WIFE Died
William j. Burrows Takes
His Life With a Pistol
on a Street in Alameda
BLOWS OUT HIS BRAINS
Dependency Over Sudden
Demise of His Spouse
Prompts the Tragic Act

ALAMEDA. July 14-With a pistol
William J. Burrows. chief OF the alb
stract room in the Auditors Depart
ment of Wells Fargo & Co.'S Express,
San Francisco. blew ont his brains this
morning at o'clock in front of his
former home at 1896 High street, this
city. and breathed his last on the spot
where his wife dropped dead from
apOplexy four months ago.
No one witnessed the tragic deed,
but Emil Lundberg, employed at the
coal yard of Harry T. Moore. 1916 High
street. heard the report OF the revolver
and saw the smoke from the weapon.
He reached the inanirhate form of Bur-
rows at the same time as did j. L.
Hicks and o. f. Murdock, the crew of
an electric car. whose attention was at
tracted by the PROSTATE body Of the
suicide. Deputy Coroner James Fowler
was notified and ordered the remains
taken TO the local branch Morgue.
Burrows held the gun close TO his
right temple and the bullet passed
through his head, the exit being close
behind the left ear In falling after
the discharge he struck the macadam
with his face. disfiguring his eyes and
ncse.
Dependency and nervous prostration,
brought on through brooding over the
sudden demise Of his helpmeet. are said
by those who knew Burrows intimately
TO have been the causes that prompt
ed him 10 seek death. Since the death
of his wife he had been living at the
home Of his sister-in-law, Mrs. j. A.
Thomas, of GAG Santa Clara avenue.
He left the house last evening after
dinner. saying that he felt nervous and
was going out for a walk. He did not
return at night and this fact was not
discovered until this morning, when
his sister-in-law, upon going to Bur
rows room, observed that his bed had
not been disturbed. Where the de-
spOndent man spent the night is not
known, but il is thought that he was
not far from the spot where his wife
died. Burrows was observed by ]. B.
McCauley wandering about his old resi-
dence several weeks ago. McCauley
attempted TO speak TO Burrows, but
( the latter avoided him.
! Since the 9Th of this month Bur
rows had been treated by DR.. NJ. W.
Brown for nervous prostration, and had
been advised by the physician to take
a sea voyage, which he intended 20
do. Burrows friends had noticed that
he was a changed man since the death
Of his wife. She died on the 18th of
March, just after alighting from an
electric car in front of her home, 1885
High street.
Burrows was 3S years of age. His
brother-in-law, Thomas Burr, of 1868
Eighth avenue, East Oakland, has
taken charge of the arrangements for
the funeral, which will be held Satur-
day afternoon at l o'clock from the
psrlors Of James Fowler.
J. S. Bunnell auditor of the Wells
Fargo Express. said to-day. concerning
/ Burrows suicide:
Business affairs had nothing to do
with this unfortunate occurrence. Bur
rows was broken hearted over his
wife's death, and brooded over it most
of the time. He talked the subject
over with me, and 1 tried to induce him
/ TO take a vacation, thinking that a
change might help him. But Burrows
said he must stay at work, which was
the only thing that could help him.
He was one Of the best men in the
company's employ. He had thirty or
/ forty men under him, and he was a
/ faithful man."