White Pine news. [volume] (East Ely, Nev.) 1920-1923, 1922-05-21
.OORNAN MEETS DEATH
BY GUN IN OWN HAND

John Dornan died victim of his
own hand In his room in the rear oi
the Dornan building, on Aultman
street, last Sunday evening
Tho body was discovered by Mrs
Isabel Smith and r. A. Schiller about
TAO o'clock.
From the best information obtain
able the deceased was about Il years
of age He had been an active busi-
ness man is this district for several
years. coming here from Tonopah and
engaging in the grocery business with
his father. The Dornan family re-
sided in Central Ely.
The deceased had not enjoyed good
health for several months and since
the death of his father. which occur
red in the east while on visit to the
former family home. had suffered
financial reverses which. together
with family cares. weighed heavily
upon his mind.
October 81, 1917, he was married
to Christie Nixon Hill. Two children,
the issue of that marriage. now re-
side with their mother la East Berke-
ley. Cal. The wife separated from
the father of the children several
months ago and that Is said to have
added much to his troubles
Word was Immediately telegraphed
to the widow as well as TO the aged
mother of the deceased.
Last Sunday Mr.. Dornan visited
Mrs. Isabel Smith and complained of
not feeling we'll Mrs. Smith noticed
that he wore n troubled look and ad-
vised him to consult a physician.
Later In thu day he went 20 the Sec
ond-hand store conducted by o. p.
Blose and borrowed SO Colts re-
yoiver, saying that he wanted 10 de-
stroy some stray cats which were
hanging about his building on Ault-
man street, where he hal q sleeping
room in the rear. The last seen of
him was about $50 In the evening,
when he spoke to a friend on the
street and went to his ROOM Mrs.
Smith became anxious about the man
and went to call on him to ascertain
whether or not he was feeling better
than he had been during the day or
desired any assistance. Upon arriv-
Ing at the Aultman street place, in
which there were no electric lights.
she found the door open but received
no response to her calls. She then
went next door to the Schiller music
store and requested Mr.. Schiller TO
go with her to the Dornan room.
Upon entering the place tie Sec
ond time Mr.. Schiller lighted match,
but this almost Immediately went
out, leaving the room in darkness.
While Mr.. Schiller was engaged In
striking another match Mrs. Smith
felt Dornan's foot and shaking 1t she
tried TO awaken him. As the second
match was lighted she felt the man s
hand. which grasped the revolver
from which he had fired tho fatal
shot. Terrorstricken she screamed
and when calmed by Mr. Schiller
both came out In search of an officer.
They met Deputy Sheriff Dave Nc
Lean. who went to the room where
the body was lying across the bed.
stripped above the waist and bullet
wound through the heart. The dep
uty sheriff Immediately notified Cor
oner ID. c. Mcdonald. who took
charge of the remains and the prem
ises.
A coroner's jury, composed of F.
A Rcss. j. f. Ross and Thomas Wv
ian. was empaneled by the coroner
and upon investigation it was dis
covered that on table In a room ad-
Joining the sleeping quarters the de
ceased had left the sum of 81 80 in
silver ard a note. which was written
in ink and evidently by a steady hand,
reading:
Kindly send this change to my
little girl, Miss Josephine Dornan.
III Kentucky street. East Berkeley,
Cal. My mothers address. Mrs. John
Dornan, 653 Summer street. Ham
mond. Ind. Kindly give revolver
back to Mr. Blose. the secondhand
furniture man. JOHN DORNAN.
IL developed that the revolver
which was found in the hand cf the
dead man had been fully loaded, but
only one shot was fired from II. r..
A. Schiller. who conducts a music
store next to the Dornan building,
only by single partition.
said that while he had been In his
establishment all day and up to the
time he was called by Mrs. Smith In
the evening, he had heard NO gun
discharged and held to the belief that
Dornan had probably deadened the
sound by holding the bed c;oil.ing
over the gun.
The evidence all indicated that the
man. after stripping himself to the
waist had reclined on the bed. placed
the gun against his body directly
over the heart and fired.
While he had been in the habit Of
borrowing a gun from the Blose es-
frequently when going
out in the hills prospecting 1t had al
ways been his practice to return 1t
at night.
Notwithstanding the fact that Dor
mans friends had known for some
time that he was not i'm good health
and that his troubles were bearing
heavily upon his mind. the news of
his rash act came as a shock to this
entire community. where he was
highly regarded. While net phys
ically strong he was energetic and in
dustrious and had pleasing person
ality. With his limited means dur
Ing the iast few months he sti lggled
hard 10 aid his aged mother and two
children In a financial way and in
many instances left himself In want
by his efforts to provide for them
Christie Dornan. wife OF the de
! Ff~t.