The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1909-04-14
A SUICIDE AT KELLETTyILLE.
Mike Kalafactin Tries TO Kill a Young
Lady and Then Kills Himself.

On Monday afternoon at about W
o'clock, Mike Kalafactiu, a Slsv, aged
about 10 years and unmarried, committed
suicide by shooting himself through the
heart, at Kellettville. The unfortunate
young man lives with a married sister in
one OF the Elk Tanning Co.'s houses and
was an industrious young man in the
employ of the tannery. AS is the custom
with about all the foreigners, the day
following Easter is a day when but very
few do any labor and the majority of
them celebrate to their hearts content.
Monday was no exception to the. rule and
considerable drinking was INDUCED in.
The young man had been drinking heav-
lily and it seems he was determined to
make a good Job of it. Mike was iniat-
uated with a young girl from his native
country, Mss Anna Mitchaw, who re-
sides with her uncle, George Mitchaw,
and is employed in the kindling wood
factory, but who did not seem to take
kindly to his advances. This seemed to
prey on mis- mind so heavily he decided to
die by his own hand. Sometime after
the noon hour the young lady was taking
a walk with two married ladies when
Mike saw them go up the railroad. He
secured his gun, which is q single barrel
shot gun, aud went out back of the house
and on a line nearly parallel with the
railroad tracks. By the amount of shells
found on the ground where he lay he
must have discharged a full dozen of
shots. After firing several shots he espied
the ladies coming back and hiding be-
bind a stump he opened fire on the trio,
one shot struck the young lady back of
the right ear, but did not even draw
blood. A few shots came very close to
all the parties but as the distance was
about twenty rods nothing serious
happened to the ladies, except they were
badly frightened.
When but one she'll remained he went
about to end his own life. First he
loaded the gun and tax ing his handker-
chief he tied one end of it firmly to the
trigger and the other end wa tied to a
stick about ~ feet long, Placing the
muzzle of the gun firmly against his left
side directly over his heart, he push ed
the stick and discharged the weapon. He
was attired in his Sunday rsiment and
did not wear a coat or vest. His clothing
was badly powder, burnt and asmall hole
into his aida old the tale The charge
was likely lodged in his shoulder, as
there was no evidence of its coming out.
The place where the deed was commit
ted lies on a little elevation and was visi-
BILE rom tue school house and other
places on the opposite side of the creek
Nick Arnold, wto has a shop directly
opposite the location and near the school
building, saw the shooting. Mrs. M. f.
Catlin, who resides a few rods from the
school building, and several of the schol-
srs also saw the shooting. Those that
witnessed the aflray were too far distant
10 realize at the time just what was oc-
curing until too late. Where the shoot
ing occurred was only about ten rods
from the house and in the lot. He was
removed to the house in a few minutes
after the shooting. 1t was not deemed
necessary to hold an inquest. The re-
mains we're turned over to undertaken
Robbins. The preparations have not yet
been completed for the funeral, but II is
likely the interment will be made nj
Tidioute.