Cottonwood chronicle. [volume] (Cottonwood, Idaho) 1917-current, 1920-01-23
BROWN FELL
ABOUT 90 FEET
HAD BEEN ILL FOR SOME
TIME-YOUNG WIFE IS
GRIEF STRICKEN

AhfS w eiiN AeNS tiAtN iiNAAN
information was available last
week of the tragic death of John
II. Brown, we are publishing a
more complete account Of the
affair.
John II. Brown, well known
young man of Idaho county, end
ed his life at 9 o'clock last Thurs
day morning by leaping from the
Grangeville passenger train
while crossing the Lawyers CAN
yon trestle. He was married
three hours before to Miss Leta
Lovelace at Grangeville and the
couple were enroute to Win
chester where he was employ
ed as a carpenter by the Craig
Mountain Lumber company. His
body was found by Lutte Sim
mons about 10 o'clock but was
not identified until several hours
later. His wife had proceeded
to Winchester under the belief
that her husband had been taken
from the train by friends as a
wedding joke. She came out to
Craig Junction that evening eX-
pecting to meet her husband
there but received the news of
his tragic death.
Searching inquiry has beer
made by officers and friends in
the hope that some causes for
the suicide might be discovered
but to date nothing has been
learned that has thrown the
least light on the tragedy.
Brown was in poor health but his
condition was not such as would
give cause for ending his life.
1t was learned from a friend at
Winchester that Brown had
been very nervous for the past
week or ten days and did not eat
well and had missed his meals
entirely for two or three days at
a time.
Upon reaching Winchester,
Mrs. Brown went directly TO the
telephone office, expecting to re-
ceive call from her husband
telling of his whereabouts and
when he would be able to rejoin
her. She told friends that her
husband had left her in the day
coach after the train departed
from Cottonwood, that he had
given her his purse with the re-
mark that it was all they had
and had jokingly said he did not
expect to be with her long and
that he was afraid that he would
not be able to provide for her.
He then went into the smoking
compartment and was last seen
there by Conductor Harry Nor
ris shortly before the Lawyers
canyon bridge was reached. AT
that time he had the window
open and was leaning out of the
window.
Mrs. Brown thought her hus-
band was on the train when She
arrived at Craig Junction where
the transfer to the Craig noun
tain line was made and when he
did not make his appearance to
assist her to the Winchester
train and it was found that he
was not on the train that hao
brought her there, she concluded
that Winchester friends had in
tercepted them at Vollmer ant
that her husband had been kid
mapped as a practical joke. Sh'
proceeded to Winchester anC
spent the greater part of the da!
at the telephone office awaiting
word from him. She had de
parted from Winchester but
short time when the messag
was received announcing tn
finding of his body.
Lutte Simmons was visiting hi
coyote traps in Lawyers canyol
when he came upon the body be
meath the railroad bridge nea
one of his traps. He at one
went to lilo and reported tn
matter and Prosecuting Attoi
ney G. C. Pennell and Corone
John F. Gist went over fror
Nezperce to make an investiga
tion. The officers took tn
body to Ilo and spent the entlr
day in their investigation: