Omaha daily bee., 1908-06-08
HARRY o. SMITH KILLS HIMSELF
Domestic Trouble Supposed 20 Have
Been the Cause,

Domestic Trouble Supposed TO Have
Been the Cause.
Seated in a chair with a bullet wound
in the head over the right ear and a re-
volver lying on the floor at his feet, the
lifeless body of Harry o. Smith, a plumber
living at 246 Avenue A, was found yester-
day afternoon in a small building, origin
ally erected for a chicken house on a lot
owned by Smith at the corner of Avenue
A and Thirty-second street. The discovery
was made by Smiths wife, VIII had gone
to the place about 2 o'clock to take her
husband his dinner. Circumstances indi-
cate that Smith had taken his own life
in a fit of dependency and the belief Is
that the unfortunate man fired the fatal
shot sometime Friday night,
smith had not been living with his wife
for some time and lately has been making
his home with his mother, who lives at
Avenue c and Twenty-first street. He
owned two or three vacant lots at Avenue
A and Thirty-second street, where he had
made a garden. In the little frame struc-
ture which he had planned for a chicken
house he had placed a table, two chairs
and a small gasoline stove and he is said
to rave 'bached' there while attending
to the garden. He had been drinking hesv-
lily, It is said, and this caused a disagree
ment between his wife and the ~latter's
father, with whom they made their home
at 24o5 Avenue A.
Mrs. Smith stated to the police officers
who investigated the case that she had
not seen her husband since last Monday,
until Friday evening. when she took his
supper to him to the little house at the
garden patch. After he had eaten his sup
per Smith and his wife worked for a time
l. - 80 - - IA
dark he accompanied her on her way home
as far as Twenty-fifth street and Broad
way. Before parting Mrs. Smith said she
told her husband not to come home for
six months and that 1t would be better
for him to stay with his mother. This, she
said, she told him because her father would
not permit him to stay around the house
while he was drinking, Her husband, Mrs.
Smith stated, said something to the effect
he could not stay away that long from
her and their daughter, Evelyn. As he
bid her goodbye Smith said something
which his wife did not quite understand,
but she said she thought he said he would
try, meaning that he would try to stay
away as she had suggested.
Yesterday, about 2 o'clock, thinking that
her husband would be back from his work
in Omaha, she prepared and took his dinner
TO him to the little building at the garden
patch. She found the door open and, look.
ing inside, noticed her husband sitting az
If asleep in one of the two chairs. She
then noticed the blood which had oozed
] from the wound and dried on his face and
clothing. The fact that her husband was
dead and had evidently. been so for severa
hours became apparent to her and she a
once went to some n~eighbors for assistance
The police and Coroner Treynor were mott
fled and DR.. Treynor, Acting Chief Of Polio,
Schaffer and Detective Callaghan went I,
the place. The body, on orders from Cor
oner Treynor, was removed to Cutters un
dertaking rooms. 1t is not likely that a,
inquest will be held.
The revolver with which Smith kille,
himself was purchased by him in the earl,
part OF the week at a Broadway pawnshop
A box OF cartridges was found on the tabl,
in the small building. Smith was 81 year
Of age and was employed at his trade. tina
of a plumber, in Omaha.