St. Johns review. (Saint Johns, Or.) 1904-current, 1905-03-10
A CASE OF SUICIDE
An Old Civil War Veteran
Found in Dying Condition
With Two Bullet Holes Through
His Head Was il Murder
or Suicide.

The usual quiet of the city was
broken last Wednesday morning
when John Kurt, an aged
, veteran of the Civil War, who had,
in a fit Of temporary insanity, shot
5 himself three times in the head some
, time during Tuesday night and was
; found under the wharf about Q o'cluck
on Wednesday morning in the vicinity
of the shipyards, unconscious, bleed
Ing profuscly and, as the subsequent
result has shown, in a dying condi-
ton.
DR.. Hensel, the city health officer
was called as soon as possible, and
hurried to the scene, aud after look
ing at the poor victim, who, still
alive and lying in his own blood,
advised that the poor old body,
from which life was, no doubt, fast
ebbing, be not disturbed OF remov-
ed until the coroner arrived, with
the result that he was allowed to re-
main in that position, for three
hours, with nothing better than the
cold, damp uncany ground beneath
a wharf for his couch, and the
hard wooden brace supporting the
wharf for his pillow. Why this
was done, 10 one knows. Why an
old veteran who had 10 doubt. suf-
ftred the privations of cruel war in
defense OF his country should he
thus allowed to die so ignobale
death is past all human eomprehen-
sion. 1t was not until Marshal
Organ was found, when he, assisted
by other citizens went TO the scene,
secured wagon and brought the
old man up townand placed him on
comfortable couch In Blackburn :
furniture store, where he died q few
hours later
In that position a1i condition the
OH raa vas compelled 90 lie from
tfc time at which I've shot himself un- |
Ill noon the nrvt DAY when Deputy !
Coroner \. l.. Finley and Chief Dep. |
uty Sheriff Nlorlcn arrived 70 take
charge OF the case. Coroner Finley |
was surprised when he found that he
had been called to take official charge
of the body Of q man yet alive, when
il Is his business 20 handle only the
bodies Of dead people.
The conduct OF the case hy DR..
Ilansel was the subject OF general
comment Of q most caustic nature.
Bys,anderS protested, but in vain,
none OF them knowing whether or not
,hey might take charge OF the body
and convey il 10 a clean place OF COM
fort and thus attempt ~ save the old.
mans life. However, the sheriff tel
'phoned to one Of the citizens 10 take
The unfortunate man 60 q comfortable
room up town and 10 employ ply
iician 20 attend the ease until he might
arrive. About neon Deputy Sheriff
Morden and Deputy Coroner Finley
arrived on the same car, but found
the victim Of his own weapon in a dy-
ing condition. However, he lived un-
Ill , O'Clock in the afternoon, show
ing wonderful vitality Tor a man OF
his advanced age.
The circumstances Of the case at
first suggested murder. Three shots
had been fired into the head half way
between the right ear and the middle
Of the back OF the Uranium. There
were no powderburnsi and il was
difficult TO understand how one could
shoot himself in that manner without
leaving some evidence OF the burning
powder. DR., Mary Mclaughlin was
summoned 10 take charge OF the case,
and she did all that could be done 10
determine whether or not the wounds
received were fatal; but brains were
oozing from the wounds and il was
evident that nothing could be done TO
save the suicides life.
Kurt, who was 10 years old, left
the home OF his son-in-law, 4. {.
Bowers, at 3Is East Thirty fourth
street, at 1890 on Tuesday morning
for the Portland library, so he said,
for the purpose of obtaining some
books. Instead, however, he came 10
81. Johns and was seen walking about
the streets as if examining property.
On one occasion he asked about the
time at which he might catch The
Dalles boat. About the time work
men were coming from their tasks in
the mills and factories he disappeared
and was not seen again until he was
found under the wharf by James
Even, who lives at 2S4 North rwen-
tieth street, at 9 o'clock on Wednes'
day morning.
At dusk on Tuesday night, when il
was discovered that the unfortunate
man had not returned home, his wife
became anxious and Immediately be-
gan TO search for him. AT midnight,
no word having been received as 10
where her husband might have gone,
Mrs. Kurtz had word telephoned to
Police Captain Moore at the central
station; but no trace of him could be
found, until he was discovered as
above stated. He died before his wife
and daughter learned Of his condition
and they were still in anxious search
for him when word reached them con