The Washington times., 1910-09-17

with death only relief.
NEW YORK. Sept 17.-Haunted By
the memory Of his wife, whose suTerings
he mercifuIly ended by sending bullet
through her head in the wiIds of the
Canadian northwest, miles from help,
james Mcdowell. a prospector and
miner. is at the home OF friends, at 2774
Bainbridge avenue. the Bronx. nervous
and physical wreck.
He has been under treatment, but he
IL growing worse. He says Of himself:
How long I can stand 1t I don't
know"
Mcdowell granted the plea OF his NOR
tally injured wife 70 end her agony. He
was exonerated by jury Of his fellow
men The remembrance Of that awful
experience has shattered his nerves until
he is now hardly more than the wreck
Of a man.
Mcdowell is f1fty-elght years old, six
feet tall, and gaUnt reminder OF what
MAS once a physically perfect man The
thought that he killed his wife, despite
The fact that that was the only course
open TO him, is with him constantly.
and his sunken eyes tell OF EearIsome
days and sleepless nights.
Mcdowell Tells Story.
He Is averse to talking OF his expert
snee. but consented to ten his story.
Ny wife was Fanny Crawford, a
native Of Alberta province" he said.
Her father was John Crawford, who
had been a miner, a prospector In
California and Canada for years. He
and I had been close friends, and are
.y,st- Fanny was only twenty-five
when we were married. 1 had a rich
--fo i'm, -7z-& TN-zFla F0F- -
in the British Columbia extension Of
the Cascade range, and soon after We
were married l decided to visit it
had been there some time before and
lad cut a rough trail to the claim
5<s+F Fanny begged me TO take her with
me demuTred. as II was no place
finally consented
- Five-Day Journey.
I'VE visited friends in Calgary for
a few days, while I was purchasing
supplies, and then started for the
mine, a ive-day journey by mules.
I'VE had three mUles-One for my
wife, one for myself. and the third for
pack animal. carrying provisions
end tools for building a cabin, as 1
intended to do some work on the
claim
The trails on Castle mountain arc
mai IT It's is difficuit Tor even a mule mule to
pass over them One day We were
going along one Of these trails Ny
wife was some yards ahead of me, and
Twas lounging in the saddle. half
asleep It was about 10 o'clock IN
the forenoon, and We had been riding
three hours
-s5isSuddenIy my vvffe's mule brayed as
If in pain. and I looked up to see him
rearing on the very edge Of the pTeci-
pice- I have, always thought he was
stung by hornet 1 tried to reach
my wifes side, but before I could do
so the mule plunged over the preci-
pice, carrying Fanny with him.
Heard Wife's Body Crash.
i threw myself to the ground and
!lpeered over the edge. 1 could hear the
mules body crashing through the trees
and amCng the rocks to the bottom,
sfuIIy 1900 feet I nearly pitched over
1t was almost tvventy-four hours
later before ! found the carcass Of the
mule ] had eaten nothing for almost
thirty hours and was nearly insane
from grief, hunger. and thirst Ny
clothing and flesh were torn by the
rocks ever which / had crawIed, my
skin was almost blistered by the heat
and my eyes smaTted so that could
hardly see.
Fifty yards away I found a shapeless
mass lying among the rocks IL was
my wife, alive, but mercifully uncon-
-EciCus- I think every bone in her body
must have been broken There vas 2
great cash IN her forehead. but she "a
breathing fairly.
II mixed some brandy with water
from my Canteen and forced Il down
her throat. When she revived a few
minutes later ner suffering was intense
She begged me TO shoot her and end the
agony.
Help 40 Miles Away.
There was not human being within
a hundred miles, so far as know. The
nearest medical help was at Calgary. 'I26
miles away It would have taken me
ten days at least TO go and return, and
wolves would have deVOureT her before
7 had been gone one day.
There was nothing else to do placed
the uuzZie Of my revolver against her
head and fired Then I tainted When /
recovered consciousness, hours later I
covered her body with rocks, glass and
coughs to keep away the wolves. Then
started for Calgary.
- was in such condition that I was
ten days making the trip When I ar
rived I hunted up Sheriff Hamilton and
told him my story. He sent two tieDu-
ties with me 10 the spot and they found
things Just as I had said We burIe5
ny wife and returned 10 CALGARY An
Inquest was held and / was exOneratesi
Shortly after that I had q sunstroke
and after my senses returned; but my
nerves gave away and I am here now
Tor treatment"