The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1905-09-22
DESPONDENCY
CAUSED TO TAKE LIFE
CONTINUED from page oneJ

maindcr of the family were i'm the
house nearby within a short distance
from him and. in fact, the noise of the
fatal revolver shot, awakened most Of
the family. His father Fred johnson
was the first to reach the side of the
dying youth
Young Johnson had been i'm i'll health
for some years. About three or four
years ago he had severe attack of
fever with typhoid symptoms, from
the effects of which he seemed unable
to recover. His health had been bad
since that sickness and he was unable
to regain strength. He was employed
as bookkeeper at the Dairymen's AS
ISOLATION and was an efficient employe
until recently when his mind seemed to
be affected, for he could not keep the
accounts we'll About two months ago
he went to DR.. Herbert to be examined
for his general health and especially
for his lungs. Young Johnson fear
ed consumption. But Dr. Herbert gave
him reassuring advice and stated that
he had no consumption but he must
keep up his spirit and try to regain his
strength The office work was too
severe a strain, so Johnson left his
position and went to Hilo with his
mother and sisters where they remain
ed about a month.
Since his return from the Volcano,
the young man had seemed to rally
and to be gaining i'm flesh But he was
still suffering from sleeplessness. In
fact two nights after he had seen DR..
To oh
and told his family that he would have
to die and leave them. He did not
have recurrence of that attack but he
was always troubled with insomnia and
frequently would complain in the
mornings that he had been unable to
sleep.
Yesterday he went to Woods and
Sheldon and purchased a 3S caliber
Iver-Johnson revolver A friend hap
pened to observe him making the pur-
chase and inquired in a jocular way
if Johnson wanted to scare burglars
away Johnson replied that he did.
The young man was very downcast
yesterday and friends who met him
noticed his condition of mind. But
his mental condition did not prevent
him from playing cards with the family
last night, He seemed quiet on that
occasion but there was nothing es-
pecially unusual about his manner. The
only incident out of the ordinary last
night, was his action just before re-
firing. He went and bade good night
to his sisters, a thing that he was not
in the habit of doing. He retired
about . o'clock
Early this morning his father was
waking the girls, when pistol shot
from the rear lanai rang out. Rushing
back the elder johnson saw his son
lying on the floor with revolver near
by and the blood coming from his
mouth. Young johnson had evidently
risen a short time before and clad only
i'm an undershirt and trousers had gone
to the rear lanai laid down on the floor
placed the muzzle of the revolver in
his mouth and fired the fatal shot The
bullet passed clean through the head
and through the floor. The police
We're notified and Deputy Sheriff and
Coroner j. 5. Kalakiala accompanied
by a coroners jury, went to the john
son house and viewed the remains.
NJ llOllNt lOI the SulClut bllltI lllhll
dependency and perhaps temporary
alteration through worry, was develop
ed. No letter or word of any kind eX-
planning the cause of his act was left
by. the young man. Nor so far as
could be learned this morning. does he
appear to hove told anybody that he
intended to take his life. 1t was sug-
gested that perhaps he might have be-
come respondent over some unhappy
/ love affair. Young johnson seemed
about a year ago, to be quite fond of a
young girl who is employed in the tele-
phone Office but this attachment was
broken off His relatives do not
think however that ii caused him any
undue sorrow. They think that brood
ing over his sickness and the fear OF
becoming a consumptive led him to
take his life. The deceased was y
years of age on March 16 last
4