The Leavenworth echo. [volume] (Leavenworth, Wash.) 1904-current, 1918-03-22
PATRICK H. GRAHAM
TAKES HIS OWN LIFE
Body Found in Basement Under
Shoe and Harness Store Yesterday
Morning by His Son

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became known that Mr.. Graham
had shot himself in the basement
under his shoe and harness store
and repair shop in the building ad-
joining the postoffice. He had been
dead from 26 to % hours when
found. He got up, says his wife,
Wednesday morning shortly after !
o'clock. This was not uncommon
as he frequently got up and read
and smoked. Some time about 3
o'clock she got up and found he was
not in the house, but still suffered
no serious alarm until the next
morning when he failed to return.
Also she found a pocket book con-
tanning money on the kitchen table.
Then she made some inquiry and
investigation without result. His son
Norbert had gone to Seattle last
Sunday morning and returned at
2:15 a. M, yesterday morning. On
his arrival he went to the shop and
feft a package and then went
to the family home at the east end
of Front street His mother told
him of his fathers disappearance.
He then went to the shop again and
found that a pistol that had always
been left in a desk at the shop was
missing. He told his mother about
this and she decided to go to Wen
atchee on the early morning train
yesterday at 6 a. m. At 7 o'clock
Norbert Graham went to the shop to
open up and going to the basement
after kindling he found the lifeless
body of his father lying on the floor,
his head resting on block of wood
and a pistol lying by his side. He
only fired one shot. The bullet en-
tered just below the right eye and
came out back of and about one
inch above the right ear. Death was
evidently instantaneous as the ball
pierced the brain.
County Coroner Templeton came
up from Wenatchee yesterday
morning and rendered a verdict in
accordance with the undoubted
facts, that Mr.. Patrick Hamilton
Graham came to his death by his
own hands.
The conclusion reached by those
who have made a careful study of
the unfortunate affair is that Mr..
Graham took his life sometime be-
tween 8 o'clock and 6 o'clock We'd
nesday morning. A short time be-
fore 8 o'clock he was at his home,
and the shot would most likely have
been heard by someone in the ad-
Joining buildings if it had been fired
after 6 o'clock. The room and also
the rear part of the room occupied
by Mr.. Graham is occupied by the
Cascade Garage. The post office en-
polyes in the room on the opposite
side of Mr.. Graham's shop US
ually get to their work about o
o'clock and they would most likely
have heard it if the tragedy had oc-
Cured after 6 o'clock, wherefore the
conclusion that it occurred between
8 and o'clock a. M, Wednesday
morning. There was not the slight
est evidence that there was any
struggle after the fatal shot was
fired. His head was found resting on
a block of wood with the hat on and
the bullet had penetrated the hat
brim.
The body was turned over to the
Town Undertaking company who
prepared it for burial. Funeral ar
rangements had not been made
when The Echo went to press last
night.
AS to what caused Mr.. Graham
to seek death is, and will remain
mystery. He only knew. He had
passed the sixty-sixth mile stone
along the journey of life. He was
not in the best of health, and had
consulted DIR. Hoxsey, of whom he
was an intimate friend, about his
condition, and told him he did not
feel we'll at times. Five years ago,
when he had a nice shoe store here
and was doing a prosperous busi-
ness, he suffered a stroke of paral-
,,sis and was very low for a few
months. His business was disposed
of and he did nothing for three years
but try and get well. He spent two
years on the coast taking medical
treatment and so far recovered as
to return about two years ago and
again engage in the shoe and har-
ness business, and seemed TO be
doing a prosperous business. He was
very sensitive and self-reliant, and
probably brooded over his condition
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