The weekly Alaska citizen., 1919-06-16
ITALIAN BLOWS
 OFF HEAD WITH
 GERMAN RIFLE
ANDY BARTOLINA COMMITS SUI CIDE IN BIG CHENA COUNTRY; WAS RESPONDENT FOR MANY MONTHS; NO INVESTIGATION NECESSARY.

flNlu6 HI OWu SdIuTudy ul6ut, UTO' word of the death of Andy Bartolina who committed suicide Sunday, June l, by shooting himself thru the head with a rifle. The cause of the rash act is said to have been despondency which brot on loss of mind accom- panied by suicidal mania.
 In telling the story of the deed, MT Groves said, 'I reached Shamrock creek from Fairbanks early on the morning of June 1, probably about 5 o'clock. Andy was at the cabin with Joe Chesna and was apparently ill good spirits. He cooked breakfast, ard worked around the cabin :lean- ing up for an hour or two and then went up the creek with me to look over the ground which we had in- tended to prospect this summer and the site for hydraulic ditch. We also selected places for sinking a few more holes for additional dcvel- OpIHeHt prospecting.
 During the day Archie Mcintosh came over to the cabin and late in the afternoon he and Joe went up the hill to estimate the height of the ditch. About o'clock, Andy and I, sitting in the cabin heard them com ing back and both of us went out in front to meet them.
 When we got out of doors, Andy, unnoticed by me, made his way to a cache nearby and took therefrom a Manlicher rifle and started across the valley in an opposite direction from which Chesna and Archie Mcintosh were approaching. I first noticed what he was doing when he called out, Goodbye, MT. Groves. I go now l called for him to come back, telling him he had no hat, and asked him where he intended to go.
 But he kept moving along, saying, I no come back. no hurt anyone. kill myself Andy also said that he wished that he had the American 30-40 rifle as he was no pro-German and did not like to kill himself with a German made gun.
 "An attempt to follow him was out of the question, as he was armed and if he had not used it against us it would have only hastened his own self-destruction. We hoped that he would return shortly but he did not. He continued on his way up the hill and entered wooded spot from where he could not be seen.
 Here he ended his life. Two shots were heard by those in the cabin on the creek. After the shots were fir edt Archie Mcintosh went up to the Van Curler ranch and returned bring ing them back. The whole party then went up to the place where Bartolina was last seen. Here the body was found The rifle had been placed under the chin and the bullet enter. ing there emerged taking away the whole back part of the head, leaving only the face."
 Nothing could be done for the un- fortunate man. He was buried at a spot which he had selected himself. His coffin was made from boards which he had prepared and placed on a sled, stating at the time that they were to be used for that purpose.
 Several weeks ago Bartolina was brot to town and placed in the deten- tion hospital as being insane. But after a few days observation, there seemed to be little ground for hold ing him and he was released and al. lowed to go home. His partner, Joe Chesna, accompanied him back to the creek and remained with him until the very last day. After returning home, Bartolina is said to have be- come more and more Respondent and Chesna was forced to watch him closely at all times.
 During his Respondent moods, he would threaten to commit suicide and it was during such a mood that he made the boards for his coffin and selected the place for his grave. He came to Alaska about eight years ago and had been in partnership with Joe Chesna about five years. He was native of Italy and as far as can be learned leaves no relatives in this country but had two brothers and one sister in Italy.
 As the evidence of self-destruction is so indisputable and the informing parties so we'll known, it is not con- sidered necessary to hold formal inquest. All facts in connection with the matter have been filed with the commissioner.
 EhIDDANYC MAN