Waterbury evening Democrat., 1906-07-31
HOW wEssoN DIED.
Never Did Mean Thing in HiS
 Whole Life,

Schenectady, July 31.-Jim West, well known as a circus clown, ended his life at the Windsor hotel in this city at 7:30 o'clock yesterday morn ing by sending bullet from re- volver into his brain. Dependency over i'll health. brought on by his rowing life, and, it is said, trouble with his wife, who conducts a board- ing house for actors in West Thirty eighth street, New York, caused him to take his life. His right name was James G. Wesson. and he was an Elk in good standing with the Water- bury, Conn. lodge. No 265. His body will be taken to Hoosick Falls, N. Y.. for burial on Thursday.
 Wesson came to this city on Fri- day from Chicago. He stated that his health had been broken down and he could notlonger play the part of u clown, as In his condition he was un- able to bear up under the strain. He stated that he intended to give up the circus life and secure employ ment at the General Electric works.
 It was noticed that he acted queer- ly, and for hours he would sit in one position gazing into the distance and starting violently when spoken to. He did not drink heavily, and no one believed that he contemplated sui eide.
 The door of his room was found locked yesterday morning some time after the hour he usually arose, and when it was forced in he was found dead in his bed with a revolver clutched in his hand.
 A note was found on stand giv- ing the address of his wife, and ex- plaining that he had $50 in cash and money orders for ss0 to be forward ed to her. In ending his note he said:
 T have never done mean thing in my life. only to this landlord, and all can ask is forgiveness from all" The note was signed James c. Wesson, sometimes known as Jim West"
 Mrs James G. Wesson received a her husband had shot himself.
 She could assign no reason for the act except that he was melancholy and Respondent He was 47 years old and at times feared that he vas growing too old for the circus busi- ness. He was affected by softening of the brain last spring. and though advised to rest continued to work. There was no domestic trouble, Mrs Wesson said, contrary to the news dispatch stating that they were sep- arated.
 wesson, or Jim West, was one of the oldest and best known clowns in the sawdust ring. He was with Bar mum & Bailey's show at Madison Square Garden last spring. He joined the Hagenbeck circus at Buffalo last May and remained with it till 1t clos ed at Chicago.
 West has been a clown for over thirty years. He joined the Forepaugh show back Tn 1875. and was with that show off and on a great many years. He also was he RinglIng Brothers for several years. He paired wsth Siivers In the Forepaugh-Sells show four or five years In the early days of his professional career he vas one of the song and dance team. Whitney & West. and also played in minstrelsy.
 He had a host of friends in the profession who were shocked at the news that he had taken his own life. He was of melancholy and morose disposition and kept his vorriments to himself mostly Mrs West received word of the shooting from sister of wesson. who lives at Ballston Spa. She left for Schenectady last night