The Birmingham age-herald., 1916-04-15
Henry East Is Found Dead
 In Field Near West End From SeT-Inflicted Wound
Notes Found On Body Indicate Suicide, But Evi- dence Shows He Was Shot In the Arm By Broth er-in-Law of Neal At the Time of the Tragedy. Mother Writes Letter to Newspaper In Defense of Memory of Her Son

My love affair means more than life | die with a million curses for Belle" |" is the wording of a note found on the person of Henry Delmont East, Chatta- nooga youth, who committed suicide after shooting and seriously wounding Young Neal Tuesday night. The body of East was discovered Just before noon yester- day, lying face down on the bank of a little branch in Norwood field, West End by, c. c. Hancock, an employe of the police department; l.. P. Mckinney, fire man of West End, and Officer Lee.
 A plain case of suicide was the verdict of Coroner Charles l.. Spain, after hold ing an autopsy and extracting the bullet from the arm and body of the dead man. The bullet found in East's arm was a sS- -calibre lead bullet, and it entered the flesh above the elbow of the right arm and lodged against the bone The bullet that caused death was .32-calibre steel jacketed bullet, fired from the .32 Colt automatic revolver found near the body. The bullet entered the body just little above the abdomen and ranged upward, lodging in the spinal cord.
 BODY DECOMPOSED
 The face of the. dead man was almost black and his body was very much de- composed, having been on the ground since. Tuesday night. The opinion of the officers and coroner is that East killed himself within 30 minutes after having shot Young Neal in the bedroom of the Neal residence. The body was taken in charge by Johns Undertaking establish- ment' and is being held pending instruc- tions from relatives.
 A pocketbook containing $2410 was found on the man, together with a mile age book which was last stamped at Petersburg Va, and dated April 10, a number of letters, a newspaper Clipping from the Chattanooga Times carrying the story of the marriage of Young Neal to Miss Mary Belle Cooey,. which had been kept a secret since January. A .S2 Colt automatic revolver was found by his |'sde, and something like a half box of cartridges were taken from his pockets. He also carried a recommendation from the Ross Meehan Foundry conipany of Chattanooga.
 A note, which had been written by East, evidently with his left hand immediately before shooting himself was found in his pocket. The note was badly written and partly unreada ble. It was addressed to no one. The only part of the note that was legible said:
 My love affair means more than life. I die with a million curses for Belle" |" The remainder was unintel!igible and con- tained less than 20 words.
 "REVENGE IS SWEET r The note found in the suit case left by West at NeaIs home after the shooting occurred reads as follows: T have given her about $250 worth of presents. which shall demand on my arrival in Birming- ham, and any tra gedy which might hap pen cannot be laid on me. for l would not kill fly, but revenge to me is sweeter than life, and if I. get killed by her hus- band please publish this in the Chatta- nooga Times.
 HENRY DELMONT EAST
 East was metal pattern maker, ac- cording to a letter of recommendation from the Ross Meehan Foundry company of Chattanooga, found on the body. Fol lowing is a copy of the recommendation. 'To whom it may concern; H. D. East has been in our employ for the last eight years as metal pattern maker. We have always found him to be reliable, steady, sober and industrious, and can cheerfully .recommend him. Very truly yours.
 ROSS -MEEHAN FOUNDRY CO,
 ..By J. ". Meehan.. General Manager"
 East's relatives in Chattanooga were notified by Johns Undertaking establish ment immediately after the body had been discovered.
 At about A. o'clock MT. Hubbard of Chattanooga, who is in charge Of the funeral arrangements called Coroner Spain over long distance telephone, i'm qurng as to the condition of the body