The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1907-10-01
Robert Abbott Ends Life With a
Bullet In a Fit Of Des-
pondency.
FINANCIAL TROUBLE CAUSE
Shoots Himself as Closing Feature Of a
Fracas Started at Farewell Banquet
to a Departing Citizen :. Casts Gloom
Over Town.

ANF~~ah ~h"SpSNt va va "ohANhhoht 0ENA
81 years, committed suicide Sunday
morning at O'Clock 'on the railroad
tracks within 200 feet Of the front of
his store in that town. he killed him
self with a 32-caliber pistol few min
utes after a fracas, resulting from some
hot words passed at banquet given in
honor Of the departure Of DR.. Judd.
The deceased was native of Warren
ton, where he was well liked by every
body, and his violent death has cast
gloom over the village across Youngs
River. He had been despondent for over
week as the result of business worries.
He vas not doing as well as he wished
and to make matters worse, several of
his creditors had pressed him for unpaid
bills.
Abbott was cripple, having lost a
leg as a result of an accident in foot.
ball game several years ago He ran a
small confectionery and general store,
aud in addition acted as central for the
Warenton telephone service. 1t is re-
ported that he was figuring on leaving
the town for Southern Oregon to try
his fortune, while other reports had him
contemplating suicide for several days.
Coroner Pohl was reused out of his bed
in Astoria shortly after the young mans
death and went over and examined the
remains. Later in the day he called a
jury together and held an inquest, the
verdict being that Abbott came to his
death from pistol built fired by his
own hand.
The wholesale fight which took place
just before Abbott blew his brains out,
has caused considerable talk in both
Warrenton and Astoria. Conflicting
stories aye rife, but none of them, ap-
pear to have any connection with the
suicide. 1t is the general feeling that
he was bent upon taking his own life
previous to the banquet given in honor
OF DIR. Judd's departure from the city.
I'VE had all been enjoying ourselves
at the banquet said Dave Halferty, OF
Warrenton, "and there must have been
about Is of us present, Bob Abbott had
risen to make speech and he talked
in an unusual strain. He went back TO
the days of his childhood and described
his experiences in Warrenton in the
greatest detail. 1t seemed to be Just a
forerunner of what came afterward.
After he had spoken at some length,
a man named Keyes, a school friend of
Judd's, who was present, said something
about cutting out the rest of it. Frank
Kelley did not know Keyes, and he OBJ
iected to the interruption. Hot words
then passed and Kelly took poke at
Keyes for something he said to him.
"The whole thing was misunder-
standing, and to make matters worse,
Judd pitched into Kelly for striking his
friend. Abbott then grabbed hold of
Judd and told him to leave Kelly alone,
that he was friend of his. Judd then
smashed Abbott and in minute they
were rolling on the floor fighting. l can
hardly remember what happened just
then, but a number of the men present
started to pitch into Kelly.
"The next thing I can remember was
that Judd and Abbott were in room
by themselves, and when several of us
broke open the door we found them
fighting on the floor in the grasp of each
other.
I'VE separated them and things began
to get quieter In the meantime Kelly
had disappeared and we found that he
had gone home, Hans Steinhauser, Judd
and several others were looking for
Kelly, and the Dutchman was yelling
like crazy man, He is usually very
quiet but at this time he was bowling
to get'a chance at Kelly, while the 9TH
ers were also looking for him.
Kelly came out of his room across
theNway about this time, saying that he
could D soon find him. Harry Nc.
Dermott was with him and asked him
what they were going to do, For an an,