Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1910-05-18
Tony Bostanjian Shoots Him
self After Securing Job.
HAD BEEN..SlCK TWO WEEKS
Brother.In.Law Of Dead Man Believes
Illness Was Responsible for Rash
Aet-came Here Monday Evening
From Richmond.

Shortly after securing position IN
the machine shops at the shipyard'
which he was to have taken TINS
morning, Tony Bostanjian, an Armen-
ian, 80 years old, committed suicide
on the edge OF the river bank al
Fifty-seyenth street and Huntington
avenue at HAS o'clock yesterday
morning by shooting himself through
the heart with a 44-calibre revolver
of Belgian make. Death was almost
instantaneous. the heavy leaden ball
tearing great hole completely
through the mans body, grazing tree
nearby and continuing on its course
down Fifty-seventh street toward the
woods northeast of the city.
Simon EuksuZian, a brother-in-law
of the dead man, who arrived mere
yesterday evening from Richmond,
says that Bostanjian had been SICK
for two weeks or more and that he
attributes the rash act TO the sick
ness. Euksuzian thinks his brother
in-iaw lost his mind. Among mass
OF papers and letters found in the
rocket of the dead man was a postal
card addressed to Mrs. Euksuzian and
telling her that Bostanjian had secur-
cd a Job and would go 10 work this
morning. This cara must have been
written only shert time before the
men ended his life.
Came Here Monday.
Bostenjian came to this city Mon
day evening from Richmond and
spent Monday night at 3109 Washing
ton avenue. He mad but small sum
OF money when he landed here and
but fifty cents was found on his per
son. His brother-in-law says that IN
company with another brother, Bos
tanjian arrived in Richmond from
Chicago two weeks ago. He was taken
sick on the way to Richmond ana at
the urgent request of his sister ne
spent two weeks in that city. In the
meantime the other brother left for
New York to make visit TO his home
in Armenia. Bostanjian left Rich
mond Monday afternoon saying that
he was going to Norfolk TO seek work
and promised his sister that If he did
not secure a position, he would i'm
mediately return to Richmond.
The pistol with which Bostanjian
ended his life was the property OF his
brother. 1t is peculiar looking
weapon and was made IN Belgium. he
brought the weapon to this city Mon
day night and evidently had 1t on
his person when he went to the ship
yard to get job. The suppositlon is
that the man walked up to North End
after leaving the shipyard and that
the determination to kill himself
was reached during the walk He
stood up within a few feet of the river
bank almost directly in front OF the
home of Superintendent of Hull Con
struc,ion Homer l. Ferguson, 500
Huntington avenue. Pacing the muz-
zIe OF the gun against his body Just
above the heart, he pulled the trig-
ger. The force of the ball Knocked
him down and he was found lying
face upward.
Negroes Saw Him Fall.
Simon shade and Martha Carey,
negroes, we're the only eyewitness
to the mans death. Both were within
less than fifty yards of the scene and
on hearing the revolver report they
turned in time to see the man fall.
They went to the scene, but the man
was dead before they could get to
him. The woman hurried down Hunt
lngton avenue and notified J. T. Bur
rell, a street car motorman, of the sui
eide. Mr.. Burrell 'phoneG the police
station and station Keeper Robbins
notified DIR. B. r. Gary, the city coro-
her. After viewing the body, DIT.
Gary deemed an inquest unnecessary
and had the body moved to Rouse's
undertaking establishment
The gun and papers found on the
man were turned over to the police.
All OF the letters and most OF the
papers were written or printed in Ar
menian AMI could not be read How
ever, Chief Reynolds found by some
of the envelopes that Bostanjian had
s brother in Richmond and he teie-
graphed the brother at 1904 East Main
street
Bostanjian had been in the United
States about FIVE years and during
that time he had worked in Pitts
burg, Chicago. St Louis and other
western cities. Tie was an expert
machinisi and was employed for
sometime by the Westinghouse Elec-
tric Company as a die-maker.
The brother-in-law took charge Of
the body after his arrival here and
will have 1t buried in Greenlavn
cemetery today. There are a number