Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-08-31
DEAD BY HIS OWN HAND
DIR. JAMES DONALD WILSON COM
MITs SUICIDE.
Shoots Himself in Mouth and Bullet
Lodges at Base OF the
Brain.

Cold in death, and in his hand a revolver
with one empty chamber, DR.. James Donald
Wilson of Andrews, N. c., was found dead
about 6 o'clock this morning in the room
which he occupied at 1929 Park road north
west. The police of the tenth precinct were
notified, and through them Coroner hewitt
was told of the matter. He investigated
the circumstances of the death, pronounced
the case to be one of suicide. and the body
was removed to the morgue for the per-
Torrance of an autopsy. Ill health, affect
ing the brain, was the cause assigned for
the rash act. He had been a sufferer for
years. and had intimated that he might end
it all some day by his own hand
Dr. Wilson has acted peculiarly for some
months past, and the effects of the dis
ease is ascribed as the cause he having been
troubled with insomnia He has seldom
gone to bed at night. His father. Ebenezer
Wilson, retired early last evening in the
same room as that in which DIR. Wilson
was sitting. He left his son sitting In a
chair, usual When he awoke this
morning. about o'clock he noticed his son
sitting in chair at the window, apparent
ly asleep. He undertook to arouse him.
when he discovered that the hand which
he clasped was cold and that the other held
revolver.
Noise Attracts Slight Attention.
1t is supposed that DR.. Wilson shot him.
self about 10 o'clock last night. At that
time Mrs. E. H. Roberts, wife Of another
occupant of the house, heard a report SIM
liar to that of a revolver, and she called
to her daughter to know what 1t was. Her
daughter stated that it was caused by an
automobile which had just passed. and they
thought nothing more Of 1t until this morn
ing. when DR.. Wilson was found dead The
noise they heard. they say, must have been
the report of the revolver,
Although DR.. Wilson's father was sleep
ing In the room at the time, he did not
hear the shot, but that is accounted for by
the fact that the father Is an aged man and
quite deaf, and therefore would not be like
iy to be aroused by the noise of shot.
After Mr.. EbeneZer Wilson made the dis
covery of his sons death he called Mr.
Elmer H. Roberts to the room, and they
made an investigation to determine the
cause of death. No bullet hole was found
In his body or head. DR.. Wilson sat In
chair in the corner Of bay window In his
room on the second floor, and in front Of
him was small mirror. At his side, on the
window sill, was candle that had burned
itself out. Apparently, the dead man had
placed himself before the mirror. lighted
the candle and by the aid Of that little
light and the mirror aimed the gun with
the barrel end in his mouth and fired the
fatal shot. This is the view expressed by
Coroner hewitt following his investigation
of the case.
An Autopsy Necessary.
On account Of the fact that no bullet
wound vas located on the surface DR..
hewitt ordered the body removed to the
morgue where an autopsy was held at II
o'clock today. This disclosed that the
bullet had lodged at the base Of the BRAIN
The coroner gave a certificate of death
from O. gunshot wound self-inflicted.
The body was turned over by Morgue-
master Schoneberger to Undertaken Eur
horst, to be prepared for burial, and the
interment will take place in Oxford, Pa,
the family home. No funeral services will
be held here.
DR.. Wilson had lived in this city for
two months only, coming here from An
drews. N. c.. where he had practiced his
profession. For several years he had suf-
fered from Ill health, 1t Is said, and had
been unable to sleep. During the time
that he had resided here he had been able
to go about the streets, but at times he
had acted peculiarly. Recently he had the
idea that persons were trying to poison
him. and he exercised care over what he
ate. His wife is an invalid, also, and Is
In Cincinnati. where she Is receiving treat
ment. She has not been with him since
he came to Washington.
DR.. Wilson was not practiclng his pro-
fession at the time Of his death, but he
had been engaged in writing a book on
BONE technical questions which he ex-
pected to have published shortly.