The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1905-02-21
James Pirie Who Perfected
Sharpening Machine
SHOT HIMSELF In BREAST
Waited to See Success Assured for the
Invention on Which He Had
Expended Years of Labor
and Study.

9tAAAs' J AAtf AiAC AAifLitt1i VI Iftt XII 10
machine for sharpening granite tools,
who formerly resided in Barre, commit
ted suicide last evening ut his home,
rs Foster street in Montpelier. De-
spondeucy owing to i'll health was un-
doubtedly the cause of the act. MIR.
Pirie had been sufferer with consump-
ton for several years. The members Of
the family and his friends had noticed
no signs Of unusual depression recently
but for some time the state Of his health
had been cause Of much concern to
him.
While Eric Pirie, one of tile sons,
and William Pirie, brother Of the
deceased, were in the kitchen ut eight
o'clock, Mr.. Pirie stepped out of the
house as was his custom to take 4 walk
on the piazza A short time later the
former heard faint. muffled shot. They
rushed out and found Mr.. Pirie lying on
the piazza grasping q revolver. They
carried him into the house and hastily
summoned physicians, also notifying the
the Others of the family who had lust
left the house to attend the theatre Dr
q. Il. Chandler and DIR. Lindsay re-
sponded. Their arrival was after the
wounded man breathed his last, and
1t IS probable that the shot caused death
almost instantaneously The bullet en-
tered the left breast about two inches
below the heart. Eric, the son, said
today that his father kept revolver
IN a bureau in his bedroom and that
the revolver was not loaded when he
saw it last
-Four years ago Mr.. Pirie was forced
BY Ill health to give up active work in
the stone industry and he worked on
the construction of machine which
should simplify the sharpening Of tools
necessary in the granite cutting indus
Try. He worked assiduously over his
plans, and a short time ago evolved
scheme which later promises to revolu-
tionize that branch Of the granite in
dustry. He invented a machine which
has been put in operation in this city,
the first one being tried out at the
shed Of Barclay Bros. last spring The
introduction Of the machine caused
disarrangement of the labor schedule at
that time and there was a CONSEQUENT
disagreement. The matter was satisfac-
torily adjusted and the machine took its
place IN the granite cutting industry.
The sharpener is now in operation 1T
the place where 1t was originally tried
out, and is giving good results. There
IS only one other of the kind in the world
and that is in use in Worcester, Mass.
a third machine is being constructed by
Eric Pirie, who was Of material as
sistanee TO his father in the perfecting
Of the first design.
Mr.. Pirie put his whole effort into
has invention and constantly thought of
It, To Barre citizen he said last sum-
mer that he Ind only one thing to live
for and that was to see the success
OF the invention So that the financial
means Of his family would be assured.
lie said that when the success Of the
invention was certain he had no purpose
70 live for That the invention Is a sue.
cess il assured The young son. Eric.
aud the inventors brother, William. re
Gently Of Washington, ID. e., but who il
now residing in Mortified. were IN
this city yesterday and closed lease
with Young Bros. granite manufaefnr
ers, whereby 4 sharpening plant il to
be located IN the rear Of Young Bros.
cutting plant This plant, IL was plan
ned, should contain at the start one
machine, the one which young pirie Is
now building, and If the demand re-
quired, others should be added. Ii was
the purpose to secure the sharpening for
the stonesheds IN that vicinity. They
proposed to start the business Oh
small scale at first.
Mr.. Pirie was born IN Aberdeen, Scot
land 40 years ago. He came to this
country when fifteen wears Of age ~.
siding in Washington, y. q, then Ouin-
cy, Mass, Baltimore, Barre and finally
IN Montpelier While in this city ne
resided on Harrington Ave, in the house
with John Anderson He was well
known by the people Of this city. He
conducted a small granite business. be
ing himself a skilled cutter and partic.
ularly proficient in the carving DEPART
ment. Ten years ago, MIR. pfffe ra-
moved TO Montpelier and enragea IN
the stonecutting business -Four wears
ago, illness caused him to give IT IN.
The grip Of consumption he was unable
TO throw of. The family was much re-
spected in this city and the two daugb.
ters, Minnie and Edith, still have a.
quaintance with large number Of vonno
people Of Barre. There are also t,ro
sons, Eric, who lived at home. ana pam
Of Marshfeldi also the widow. A broth.
eT, William Pirie, also survives.
The funeral viii probably be held
from the house Wednesday afternoon
at two o'clock.