The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1915-02-08
TIMK0 TOOK HIS LIFE BECAUSE OF MONEY TROUBLE Youth Before Coroner Tells of Man $ Threat To Com
 init Suicide
 FOUND DYING IN HIS FAIRFIELD GROCERY Coroner's Inquiry Develops Fact That He Kept Rifle
 Always Near

4
 That the loss of $26 so preyed on the mind of John Timlzo that he de- cided to take his own life is the be- lief of those who heard the testimony at the coroner's inquest today. Tinlko was found dying in his grocery and tobacco store yesterday morning in State street extension, Fairfield. There was a rifle bullet wound just back of rifle, of .22 ca1fbre, was found near him. Timko had bled profuse1y and the articles and the little bedroom back of the store where he slept were daubed with gore.
 Louis Kovatch, an IS year old boy who lives next door to Timko's store, said Tfmko had been drinking heavily and that he threatened to kill himself unless he recovered the $26. This money, according to Kovatch was in a bureau drawer in the little bed room where Tdmko slept in the rear of his little store.
 .'He looked for the money and couldn't find it,'' Kovatch told Coroner -PheIan today. Then he said he would kill himself unless he found it by Saturday night. He was drunk about once every three days during the last month Friday he complain ed of pains in his head. Saturday afternoon he was very drunk when he told me about the money and said he would kill himself. He also kept the rifle between his bed and the bureau He asked me if had taken good care of his bills and when I said I had he told me to be sure and get everything that had been trusted out on the books
 Saturday his mind didn't seem to be right. He appeared to be wor- ried over something and he over charged a customer. I didn't see him after 8 o'clock Saturday night
 Timko was about 60 years old and had lived in the West End for many, years Some years ago he lost his left leg below the knee and he had since worn an artificial leg. Kovatch and a friend named Steven Kurmai went to the store to purchase some tobacco about o'clock Sunday afternoon and discovered Tinnko stretched out on the floor bleeding from the head. The store was locked and the boys were unable to gain entrance but throueF7 the window in the store they were able to see the body of the old man protruding into the store.
 They ran to a neighborinE house and telephoned to John Timko. IT.. son of the dead man who with his brother Frank keeps a saloon at 334 Pine street. The latter rushed
 
 arrived neighbors had broken into the door and te1ephoned for the emer gency hospital ambulance.
 Supt- Gordon allowed the ambu- lance to go over the line to bring the dying man to St. Vincent's hospital. within a few hours. Dr. Beaudry who went with the ambulance found Timko sitting in a chair when he ar rived The bullet had passed through his throat and wounded him that he was unable to talk
 He maintained a stoical attitude un- til the end. While he could not talk he would not even indicate by nod of the head whether or not he had attempted his life. although Dr. Beau dry and the physicians at St. Yin cents hospital repeatedly questioned him.
 State Policeman Frank vireln and Sheriff H. R. EIwood of Fairfield are assisting Coroner Phelan to-day in the investigation. Morbid persons who entered the shop before the authori- ties arrived tracked blood all over the floor of the store and the little bed room beyond and they paved about the effects of the dead man and so disarranged them that 1t looked as if there had been a struggle prior to the shooting. The coroner was trying to determine this afternoon how TimLo I wound in the back of his ear. The dead man and his wife ihavs been living apart for some time and it is said that he frequently brooded- over his marital troubles and at such times he invariably turned to drink. Besides the widow and the 1 two sons mentioned Timko leaves an other son, Stephen, a hoseman at tac11ed to No. 2 engine house. The rifle with which Timko was shot was owned by his son Frank. Tfmko had borrowed it several weeks ago saying he wanted to shoot rats. Several unexp1oded cartridges were in the magazine and an empty shell in the barrel right under the hammer. It was 8 bullet from this shell that | caused death. Ambulance Surgeon Beaudry said there were very distinct l powder marks about the wound back of the ear. The doctor said that the hemorrhage from the wound did 1 not prevent T1mko from talking but that the bullet had torn some of the fragments of his throat
 Dr. Beaudry said that Tirnko was 1 suffering from fatty degeneration of i the heart in an advanced stage and l that cause even if he had not been wounded.
 Coroner PheIan was continuing his examination this afternoon assisted by Medical Examiner Ga.rldck of Bridge 1 port, Sheriff Elwood, and State Pc liceman Verilli.
 STOCK SHIPMENTS STOPPED.