The daily sentinel., 1908-12-31
MYSTERY OF RING CLEAR
CONTINUED from page -

Ute avenue, just in front of the =.
A. Rice lumber yard. they came upon
two men who were looking for some
thing on the ground. They were
occasionally striking matches to shed
a light over the crisp snow.
The boys naturally stopped and one
of the men told them that they We're
looking for ring that he had lost,
saying that, in pulling a handker
chief out of his pocket. he had in
some way jerked n diamond ring of
his finger and it had fallen in the
snow. He greatly lamented the oc-
currence. He told the boys that he
would give them So if they found the
ring. The boys then Joined in the
search. and the men and boys
searched faithfully for quite while
without finding the ring.
Getting desperate, one of the men,
who was beyond a doubt Fitzpatrick,
declared that he would give $50 to-
the finder of the ring.
The search for the sparkling stone
on the white snow continued TO be
without avail, and suddenly Fitz-
patrick declared:
IF CAN'T FIND THAT RING RI
AM GOING TO MY ROOM AND
BLOW MY HEAD OFF"
Finally the search was ended. and
the boys told Fitzpatrick that they
would look for the ring the next
morning The boys went on to Tur-
ner hall and the two men parted
company.
circumstances indicate that Fitz-
patrick. heartbroken over the loss of
the ring which came as the crown
ing worry and trouble to regular |
mountain of troubles and worries |
that was Weighing down on his soul, |
went directly to his room, and, with
out mentioning the loss to the peo- |
pie at the house, secured his revol- |
yer from his suit case and killed him |
self.
As stated previously by The Senti
mel, the empty ring box was in the !
mans pocket when Chief O'Neil, who |
was the first person to enter the
room, examined the body.
After hearing the statement of the
boys, Chief O'Neil this morning took
Gus Berger with him and had him
point out the place where the ring
was supposed to have been lost. The
boy did so. and stated that he had
searched the place thoroughly once
or twice since Friday night, but
could not locate the ring. Chief
O'Neil asked the boy to aid him in
making another search.
me OHlCtI anu lut DON lhtH DeSuH
to go over the snow carefully. and
presently the boy gleefully cried out
that he had found the ring. The dia-
mond had gradually thawed small
opening in the snow and was hidden
from casual view. The boy states
that the ring had been overlooked by
the searchers on the night of the sui
eide time and again. 1t is indeed a
piece OF rare luck that the ring was
found.
The ring has been fully identified
as that which Fitzpatrick had in his
possession. He purchased it from A.
NJ. Reynolds & Company of Mont
rose. but had paid nothing on the
ring.
Chief O'Neil will retain possession
of the ring until its rightful owner
ship Is established There are nu-
merous persons having claims against
the dead man. The ring is about a
"a carat and is n very pretty stone.
clear and white. Fitzpatrick had |
agreed to pay SS5 for 1t. He was |
crying to pawn it for $75 on Christ
mas night. calling on several brokers |
in the attempt.
TIE identity of the man who was
with Fitzpatrick when the boys came |
up Friday night. and why this man |
had never informed the police of the |
incident is a mystery in itself. The !
Berger boys had not thought of CON
Meeting their experience with the |
suicide, as they had heard but little |
about the case.
The revolver with which Fitzpat- |
rick killed himself was purchased !
from the Montrose Hardware Com |
pany for the sum of $3.50. Fitz-
patrick got the revolver on credit |
and the company is seeking to get |
it back