The Mathews journal. (Mathews C.H. [Court House]) 1903-1937, 1910-09-01
DELIBERATELY SHOT
HIMSELF IN HEART
Did the Fatal Deed in Presence
of Two Of His Employees.
His Brother On Floor Be-
low Overcome By
His Suicide.

RI c H ND,V A.-Special.-
standing in the presence of two OF
his employees, appealing to them to
know IL his treatment OF them had
not always been fair and good. and
being assured that he had never treat
ed them in any other way, James A.
Couch. manager OF the shipping de-
partment of j. A. McDonough. LIQUOR
dealers at 901 and 9O3 East Cary
Street, Monday morning at 1920
o'clock deliberately fired a bullet
through his heart and fell dead.
The two men, ]. S. Bixby, shipping
clerk, and James Z. Lewis, his negro
ned at the act and then gave the
alarm to the police department. Sew
eral officers were FASTENED to the
scene and Coroner Taylor was noti-
ned. Coroner Taylor, after taking the
statements Of the two witnesses, de-
cided that an inquest is unnecessary.
DR.. thurman, of the City Home, an
swered the first call with the city
ambulance and made an examination
OF the body. The bullet, which was
from a .44-6aliber pistol, passed en-
tirely through the body, penetrating
the heart, and emerged at the left
OF the spinal column.
Cause Unknown.
The cause for Mr.. COUGHS act can
not be explained by his friends and
acquaintance and is probably con-
cealed in a letter, which ne hastily
wrote and addressed in pencil to his
wife just before the shooting. This
letter, which was evidently Intended
for personal delivery, was left lying
on his desk when he left the office
to go to the second floor. where the
shooting occurred. At that time it
was unstamped and il was decided TO
send it through the regular mail chan
nels to his wife, to whom it was ad-
dressed.
and in cafes on Saturday night, ap-
parently in as happy frame of mind
as usual. His family, consisting of
his wife and four children, had gone
TO Independence, Va, for an outing
in the country and expected to be
gone another week.
Monday morning, when Mr.. Couch
came 10 his place of business he APP
peared to be morose and not in his
usual cheerful frame of mind. He
spoke TO several of the men about
the place, asking them IL he had not
always treated them right, and re-
marked incidentally to his brother
r. w. Couch. who was in the office
that he intended to kill himself.
Deliberate Act.
This was not taken seriously by
anyone who saw him, and it was
thought to be merely a joke. About
10 o'clock he seated himself at his
desk and began writing with a lead
pencil. He wrote for several min
utes, then took out an envelope.
placed the letter inside and address
ed it to Mrs. J. A. Couch. Independ-
ence, Va" Reaching in a drawer ne
took out several cartridges and went
upstairs TO the shipping room, where
Bixby and Lewis were at work
Going to the rear Of the room
where the pistol was always kept on
a shelf. Couch took up the pistol
saw ii was already loaded and laid
down the cartridges he had brought
up. BiXby and Lewis were working
at the front, paying no attention to
him. Their attention was first called
by his saying TO Lewis:
Jim. haven't / always treated YOU
right?''
The negro replied that he certainly
had and looked up to see his en-
ployer standing with the pistol point
ed at his left breast.
Haven't l always treated you right.
BiXby?" he inquired.
Yes BiXby remarked, and look
Ing up saw Couch in the same posi-
ton.
The Fatal Shot.
Put that gun down and quit fool
ing he remarked, but the words
were hardly out of his mouth before
the shot was fired and Couch fell to
bhS moor, uealn having enSued in
stantly.
Mr.. Couch was one of the well
known men about town, and was very
popular and we'll liked among his ac-
quaintances He came to this city
from Greensboro. n c. about two
years ago and has been the manager
OF the shipping department for J. a.
McDonough ever since. He was n
member OF Aerie 733, Fraternai or
der OF Eagles, Greensboro, y. G.
which lodge has been notified OF the
occurrence.
Since coming to Richmond, Mr.
Couch, with his family, has nVed at
727 West Main Street. His brother
r. w. Couch, who was in the build
ing at the time, was almost complete
~ overcome 10y the suicide and had
to be given attention.
Some difficulty is being experienced
in getting into communication with
the members of his family as they
are in the country away from tele-
nhon2 and falppranb wires