The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1910-10-19
Capt r. NJ. Bushnell and
Wife Found Dead With
Bullet Holes in Head.
Mrs. Bushnell Was Shot
While Sleeping and Some
Hours Later the Husband
Ended His Own Life by
Sending a Bullet Through
His Brain Entire Citv
Startled By the Gruesone
Tragedy.

Lying cold in death, with large bc!-
let holes through the head of each.
Capt Richard NJ. Bushnell. cashier Of
the Citizens National Bank, and his
wife, were found in bed at their home
at PA West Gregory street yesterday
morning at II o'clock Every indica-
ton pointed out that Mrs. Bushnell
had been shot during the night or the
early hours of the morning, and at
SIS o'clock yesterday morning, Capt.
Bushnell had ended his own life by
firing bullet through his brain The
weapon used was an army revolver,
.5S-calibre. being the pistol that the
captain had carried throughout the
Spanish-American war and which he
is said to have kept in his room con-
stantly ever since. So far. the awful
tragedy remains a mystery and no
known cause exists why the terrible
act should have been committed
The bodies were discovered by MIR.
Frank Taylor and Mr.. L. Hilton Green,
OF the bank. Some anxiety was felt
at the bank when Cashier Bushnell did
not come to his Office at the usual
time, and later when he did not ap-
pear, telephone calls were sent in, but
thees met with no response. About
IL o'clock, Mr. Green and Mr.. Taylor
went to the house on West Gregory
street and found the front door locked
and no one answered the bell. After
some minutes they went to the rear
door and easily obtained an entrance
as that door was not locked with a
key. When they went upstairs to the
family bed room the most horrible and
gruesume sight imaginable met their
eyes. Both Captain Bushnell aud Mrs.
p -t,7,,1
with clotted blood.
HEARD A PISTOL SHOT.
In the meantime, there had been
some anxiety about the Bushnells in
the nefghborhood. Snolt after s osaiock
Rev. J. S. Sibley was passing the
Bushnell home and when almost oppo-
site the house he heard a pistol shot
ring out clear and distinct. He paused
moment and looked back. He saw
no commotion and never noticed that
anyone else in sight was listening or
had been startled. He then thought
perhaps ne had been mistaken and
went home. After he reached home
he talked about the occurrence with
his wife and then tried to get the
Bushnells on the telephone. In this,
Of course, he failed. Others in the
neighborhood tried to get the house by
telephone and several times the bell
was rung. By this time Mr. Green
and Mr.. Taylor reached the house and
made the gruesome discovery.
AS soon as MIR. Green and Mr. Tay-
lor recovered from the shock that the
awful sight gave them, they sent mes
sages to DR. Warren Z. Anderson and
to the police headquarters. DR. An
derson arrived almost Immediately,
but both man and wife had long been
dead. Chief Of Police Sanders. Officer
Roach, Deputy Marshal Anderson and
Detectives SchmitZ and Kelly also
went in haste to the house.
CORONER SUMMONED.
The coroner. Judge r. l.. Nicholson,
was summoned and as soorAas he ar
rived about noon he empane1ed the fol-
lowing jury: Walker Anderson. II. P.
Ferris, r. E. /. Daniel, Robert Law
son, Lucius Whittich, and Joseph
Brown. The jury viewed the bodies
and adjourned 10 meet this morning
at 10 o'clock at the coroner's Office,
when the inquest will be held.
The pistol shot that was heard al.
Sis o'clock by the Rev. Mr.. Siblay
was also heard by two or three ladies'
in the neighbornood. None of these
people heard but the one shot It il
evident form these facts, and also
from the fact that Mrs Bushnells
body was cold, while the body of Mr.
Bushnell was Yet warm, that the lady
was shot dt least several hours before
the shot was fired that took the life Of
the banker. It was said by physicians
and others who viewed the bodies
that Mrs Bushnell was evidently
asleep when she vas shot and that
death was instantaneous and her hand
was thrown easily and gracefully over
her head and she, looked as If she had
Irever moved after the fatal shot vas