The searchlight. [volume] (Culbertson, Mont.) 1902-current, 1909-12-10
n. SUICIDE PACT
THIRD VICTIM OF BUCHANAN
SUICIDE PACT SENDS eUl.
LET INTO BRAIN.
CASES ALMOST IDENTICAL
Gram Was in Good Hsalth.-Had NJ
Financial Trouble. And Was Re.
comfy Prevented BY Chance
Discovery Of Plans.

fargo, Dec. Elm an effort to carr.
out suicide pact entered into a.
Buchanan. n. D., not over a year ago.
two young men in the very prime OF
life. Owe Gram, son Of a well-to-do
Buchanan farmer, this morning sent q
bullet crashing into his brain and now
lies ae the point OF death at ST. Johns
hospital.
On Sunday morning. Dec. "a, 1908,
not quite year ago, the body Of Rev.
r. L. Dougherty was found in his
apartments at Buchanan, cold In death.
His throat was slashed from ear to
ear. A note was left stating:
Il announce myself q physical
wreck"
On March 20 Agee Russell sent three
bullets into his brain. His near life
less body was found at his room at
the residence Of Mrs. A. johnson. TIA
Ninth street north. He lived but q
few hours and a note found in his
room said:
Il announce myself total physical
and mental wreck"
Owe Gram, aged "a years. came to
Fargo last May and entered the em-
ploy OF the Fargo Marble & Granite
Co.. as a polisher. He had no finan-
cial trouble and SO far as il known
by his fellow workmen he was in good
physical condition.
Yesterday Gram made an attempt to
take his life at his room In the Nc
CURE block on N. p. avenue. He was
detected by his roommate, Joe Smjkel.
With the barrel of the revolver held
to his brain he was about to pull tho
trigger.
Gram was denounced by Smjkel al
come the difficulties of life. The gun
was taken away from him and he pro-
missed to brace up and take q new
start.
Gram walked into the Fargo house.
Front street, sometime between and
9 o'clock this morning. He went past
the clerks desk, downstairs into the
toilet and then back. He was deathly
pale and looked neither to the right
or left. From the hotel he went into
the poolroom, next door. which Is con-
nected by an inside entrance.
At 9:15 o'clock he seated himself In
a corner OF the poolroom in q large
chair. There was no one present when
the shot was fired. The employee in
charge was in the rear room and took
the sound Of the shot for the falling
Of a cue. When he returned he found
Gram apparently cold In death.
His legs were crossed and a 22-cali-
bre revolver was gripped In his right
hand. A bloody wound in the right
temple told It's fatal story.
The police were at once notified and
Sergeant Coleman responded. Coron-
or Skelsey was called but was engaged
with an operation at the time and
could not attend. He notified the sher-
NJ to have an undertaken take charge
Of the body. pending an investigation.
Undertaken John Dougherty was Or
dered to the scene and just as he waa
entering the place, signs Of life were
noticed. There was a dutter Of the
eyes. DR.. ]. L. Savage was called and
probably an hour after the shot wa
fired. Gram was removed to st. Johns
hospital.
An examination there showed that
the bullet pierced the skull and fol-
lowing the lining. lodged at the from
OF the brain. Considerable hope waA
held out for his recovery and every
effort will be made to save his life. Al
aoon he had not regained conscious
LASS