The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1904-07-04
REGULAR ARMY OFFICER
TAKES HIS OWN LIFE
Continued from page II

lying on his back with blood running
from his head on to the floor
II spoke to him, called him by name
and asked him what he had done He
seemed to be semi-conscious, but did
not speak. I Immediately ran over to
DR.. Bakers quarters and called him
to attend the wounded man. DR.. Bak-
er came on run in his night-clothes
followed by Captain Nichols, who had
heard me call. Lieut.. CARRIER, however,
was practically dead when we came
back.
When Lieut. CARRIER and I came
home I said good night to him but he
olu not answer. A minute before the
shot was fired he asked me for cigar
cite paper told him I did not have
any"
Captain F. C. Nichols, senior officer
in command at Camp Mckinley, testi-
fed at the inquest that he heard Lieut.
Trotter calling DR.. Baker and after in
quiring about the matter he and Lieut..
| Trotter went on the run to CARRIERS
| quarters He saw the officer lying on
| his back with blood running from his
mouth and wound in the back of his
head In the next fifteen minutes he
gasped several times and then expired.
The pistol was lying at the wounded
mans feet with one cartridge discharg-
ed. The end of the barrel was COW
cred with blood.
DR.. Chas. L. Baker testified that aft
er being called by Lieut.. Trotter he
ran to the quarters of Lieut.. CARRIER
and at once saw that the young man
had no chance to live. A first he could
not find the wound of entrance but
found the tongue black and powder
stained. The wound of exit was direct
ly in center of the back of the neck,
and it was his opinion that the spinal
cord was severed together with other
important decorations.
Besides the note above referred to,
two checks with the ink hardly dry
upon them were found near by. One
was a check for $3.50 made out to Lieut..
Trotter, and the other was for $50 in
favor of the 92nd company, being COM
pany funds in the possession of the
suicide.
At the camp there is no suggestion
that the suicide concerned financial
matters, for his affairs are reported to
be in good shape. That the tragic end
may have been sought through weak
ness for drink is the more probable
motive. At the luau given near Moa-
nalua the lieutenant became slightly
overcome from the numerous healths
proposed. Before the party was ready
to return Lieutenant CARRIER went to
one of the wagonettes and lay down
and sle9t.
It is significant that while at the lu-
au he was greatly exercised over his
failure to procure a cigarette. He
asked a friend for a cigarette and a |
search was made for one. Tobacco was
found but no cigarette paper. Later |
an officer made up a cigarette for Lieut.. |
CARRIER and this one he smoked. just /
before he killed himself he asked for |
a cigarette from his terminate but the |
latter had none His statement con- |
corning his utter failure to stop drink |
ing possibly made the failure to get a
cigarette a sensitive matter to him, and |
it is believed that had he procured a |
cigarette and smoked it, his nerves
might have been Gained down. on
the contrary. not obtaining a cigarette. !
he seems TO have made up his mind
at self-destruction and hastily written
out the two checks and the explanatory
note. and then fired the fatal shot.
Lieutenant CARRIER was commissioned
from civil life, and formerly had been
in the customs service. He was about
twenty-eight years of age, a good look
ing officer, and was considerable of a
favorite among his brother officers and
the new friends he had made here. He
was a particularly bright young man,
quick in reply and good conservation
alist. It is said that he was engaged !