Weekly Arizona journal-miner. [volume] (Prescott, Ariz.) 1903-1908, 1908-03-25

"b'N' h'f'f iphh' HlN IbblH
yesterday evening at q o'clock. at
which time his dead body was discov.
cred by Jamie Lowry, son of the
sheriff, tells in full the pitful story Of
why aged Philip Richardson, a pion.
Ger millwright of this city. found his
troubles more than he could bear, and
ended it all by firing two pistol balls
into his head.
With the old fashioned cap.and ball
pistol, Of - calibre, which he had own.
ed for more than forty pears, grasped
lightly in his right hand, rigid in
death, his left hand resting on the gun
barrel, and with two gaping wounds
an his head, the dead man was found
lying on his bed in his cabin in West
Prescott by the Lowry hoy, who had
called to inquire after the old man at
the request of his mother, Mrs. J. Il.
Lowry, and Mrs. W. j. Martin.
the scene presented a CORY spectacle.
The suicides head and face were al.
most entirely covered with blood and
brains which had oozed out of the four
hoIcs made by the two leaden missiles.
and the bed covers were despatched
with his life blood.
OF the two charges fred by his own
hand, one entered beneath the chin
and. ranging upward, came out near
toe top Of the head. The second, and
presumably the last one fred, entered
The right ear, cutting the lobe, coming
ost near the left ear, about two in
ches to the rear, and carrying with il
piece OF the skull as large as a silver
dollar. Death from this wound must
have been instantaneous.
When found, the body was face IN. |
ward, all the clothing having been re.
moved save the underwear. The bed |
coverings nad not been turned back, in.
Hicating that although he disrobed, the
aged pioneer had not intended retiring
Tor the night in the usual way.
That the act was premeditated is
made apparent by the above note,
which was written last sunday. How
iosg prior to that date he had contem.
plated making way with himself is not
known, but that he had arrived at "a
definite decision TO end his life, and
that he had carefully arranged for
future events, is shown by his writing
The note Sunday. Since that date until
wednesday night, or, possibly, early
yesterday morning. it is presumed he
had been summoning up courage to
fire the fatal shot.
Richardson was last seen alive by
Mrs. Martin, who called at his cabin
about 7 o'clock Wednesday evening. He
"onversed freely with her a, that time.
Of a violent headache, but
said nothing M to having written the
farewell note to her husband, a friend
VI many years standing. Mrs. Martin
left him in an apparently cheerful
mood. IL is believed he committed the
rash act shortly after she left.
Yesterday evening Mrs Martin tclc
Ihoned to her ncighbor, Mrs. Lowry,
another friend Of the dead man, ask
ing her 10 have one of ner sons call at
the Richardson cabin 10 ascertain his
condition. jamie Lowry, aged Is, was
sent, the discovery Of the dead body
following.
Wnen the lad tried the front door
he found it locked, and looked
through the window he saw Richard.
'on's lifeless body lying on the bed.
rne sheriff's Office was Mt once notified
u the gruesome find, and Justice
Moore was summoned. lie impanneled
! coroner's jury, which viewed the
,ody before il was removed to the
tuffner undertaking establishment. An 8
inquest will be held this morning at o
clock.
Richardson had BEEN in i'll health
or the past year, having been injured ,
a stove explosion in the sheriff = l.
.' tf' 3 '.t+'t