The Whitefish pilot. [volume] (Whitefish, Mont.) 1904-current, 1912-10-03
KA[|SPE[L MAN
TAKES own LIFE
DESPONDENT, HE ENDS ALL BY
SENDING A BULLET INTO
HIS HEART,

A.C. Bevins, manager of the Mil
bank poultry farm in the southwest
ern part of the city, took his own
life Saturday evening about seven
O'Clock by shooting himself through
the heart. Mr.. Bevins and, his wife
and two boys moved to this city
only a few months ago from Fargo,
North Iakota, where he had been
a professor in Congregational col
le'ge fer the past ten years. The
move was made in the hope that
this climate would improve Mr.. Bev-
ms health.
The circumstances leading up to
suicide are very strange and ex-
tremely sud. From childhood Bev-
ins was physically weak and had al
ways brcoded over his conditicn. A
number OF years ago he became po-
sessed with the idea that some day
he would lcse his mind. The fear
OF this, added to the idea that in
such case he would do his family
harm possibly kill them, preyed up
on him constantly. He had often
mentioned the matter to Mrs. Bev-
ms and they had read books and
studied in the effort to Danish the
illusion from his mind. These thots
would come upon him periodically,
usually while he was, suffereing from
severe headaches, and with each
time he realized that it was becoming
harder and harder for him to fight
them eff. This fact caused him fl
nally 20 give up what he believed was
a losing fight, and from last Thurs
day he had felt that it was only "a
question Of a few days until he
would lose his mind. On that day
he purchased the revolver, although
his family we're unaware of the fact
until after his death 1t is believ-
ed by his wife That he did so with
the intention Of taking his life at
the moment that he thought he
was losing possession Of his facul-
ties. For three nights before his
death Mr.Bevins had net closed his
eyes in sleep. On Saturday forenoon
Mrs. Bevins persuaded him to take
a sleeping tablet. He did SO and
slept for about three hours.
Shortly before Z O'Clock he told
his wife that he would go over to
the poultry farm and feed the poul-
try AS he did not return when he
should have, Mrs. Bevins sent one
OF the boys to see what was keep
ing him. The boy was unable to find
him, SO she went also. Failing to
locate her husband and becoming
fearful of what might be the mat
ter, Mrs. Bevins sent for Mr.. Mil
hank, the proprietor of the ranch.
After a brief search Mr.. ,Milbank
found the missing man in the duck
pens, leaning against wall in a
sitting posture, the revolver clasp
ed in his hand, and bullet hole
in his body in the vicinity of the
heart. Death had evidently been
instantaneou and the enclosure had
muffled the sound of the report as
it had not been heard.
Mr.. Milhank speaks very highly
OF the deceased as man of homes
ty, integnity and thrift. He was net
a user Of intoxicating liquor and
his home life had always been ex-
tremely happy. He was highly ed
ucated and a very capable man in
every way. He was member Of
the Presbyterian church and had at
tended regularly since moving to
this city.
That he was subject to a peculiar
condition of the mind approaching at
times insanity. is net to be doubted.
Similar cases have been heard Of,
fixed idea i'm the mind overcoming
in time will power and driving out
better and brighter thoughts.
The sympothy of the entire COM
munity goes out to the bereaved
wife and children in their hour Of
sorrow.-Kalispell Journal.
COLUMBIA FALLS LADIES