The Brunswick news. [volume] (Brunswick, Ga.) 1906-2016, 1912-02-21
v. c. N 'kENz|E
HAD CLOSE CALL
FOR HIS LIFE.
LAST NIGHT, BULLET MAR
RoWLY MISSING HEART.
First Reported That 1t Was an At.
tempt at Suicide, But He States that
Pistol Was Accidentally Discharged
When He Stumbled Over Chair.

w. c. Mckenzie, resident manager
of the Oglethorpe hotel, which was
recently placed in the hands of re-
ceiver, last night, either in an at
tempt at suicide or accidentally, shot
him self in the breast with a 32-cali-
bre revolver, and, while it developed
after an examination by physicians
that the wound was not dangerous
one, it was by the peculiar range OF
the bullet that the young man did
not lose his life instantly. Instead OF
entering his breast, just above the
heart, where the bullet entered, it
ranged merely through the skin, COM
ing out a few inches to the left of
where it entered, and resulted only
in a flesh wound.
1t was just 10 O'Clock when Night
Clerk Tilton heard the report of a
pistol, coming from the direction OIL
Mr.. McKenZie's room on the second
floor. He at once rushed to the room
and on entering, found the room in
darkness. He turned on the lights
and then saw Mr.. Mckenzie walking
up and down the room, with bullet
through his breast while the pistol
was found lying on a nearby table.
The clerk at once rushed downstairs
and telephoned for physician and
notified others in the hotel what had
occurred. Drs. 1 N. Bishop and H.
M. Branham arrived within few min
utes and at once examined the wound,
discovering that it was not a serious
one.
The news quickly spread over the
big hostelry that Mr. Mckenzie had
attempted suicide; it was stated that,
driven to desperation by financial
troubles during the past several
days, he had, all during the day,
been in a most desperate condition,
and brooding over affairs of the hotel
he had sought to end it all.
This report, however, was denied
later, and it was stated that the ac-
cident was purely an accident. At
first Mr.. Mckenzie was in a semi
conscious condition and did not make
any statement, but after the wound
had been dressed he related the oc-
currence to DR.. Bishop. He stated
that he did not know what had oc-
cured, remembering little of the
shooting. Earlier in the evening he
suff cred a fainting spell, and was
cared for by Bookkeeper McCrouch
MI. Mckenzie stated to the physi-
clan that he had never fully recov-
cred from this spell; that he was
feeling tired and weak, and, secur-
ing his pistol and turning out the
lights he had started to retire, when
he stumbled over chair in the room,
falling to the floor and discharging
the pistol. DR. Bishop was seen by
a News reporter after he had dressed
he wound, and stated that the facts
as given above had been told him by
Mr.. Mckenzie, who, he stated, was
resting easy, though he said that he
was in a nervous state, brought on
by the shooting and other troubles.
The many friends of Mr.. Mckenzie
will regret to learn of the unfortu-
nate affair. He has been residing in
Brunswick for several years, and for
the past several months has been res
ident manager of the Oglethorpe, act
ing for the American Hote! Resort
company, and, while he was only an
employe of that concern, it appears
that he has been left to face the finan-
cial embarrassment of the lessees.
The shooting created considerable
excitement about the hotel and rumors
at first went out that the wound
was fatal, but Mr., McKenzie's friends
will be glad to learn that the wound
is not serious and that he will be able
to bet out within a few days.