Sad In Satin

Death by his Own Hand.

The train down from Carrington yesterday evening brought the dead body of Harry Smith who had killed himself about noon. Coroner Eager empaneled a jury consisting of T. Foley, F. C. McKay and E. P. Holmes and in the presence of the dead body in the ladies waiting room at the depot proceeded to hear the evidence which elicited the following facts:

He started from the home of his parents at St. Johns, Vt., about three weeks ago and arrived here in due time. A young lady named Luellian Adams, his cousin, with whom he had for sometime been engaged to be married, preceded him to this country for a few weeks, and the consummation of that event seems to have been the object of his coming here. She made her home with the family of Ellery Barnes, an old acquaintance back east, now living about two miles west of Melville, to which place young Smith went on his arrival, they being old acquaintances of his also, and where he made his home also. He came down to Jamestown Friday evening, staid {sp} all night and yesterday morning returned to Melville in apparent good spirits, and from there went out to Mr. Barnes' house. It seems that Miss Adams had discarded him, and about noon he asked her if she "meant to thrown him overboard" to which she replied that she did. A short time afterward he asked her to walk out with him to which she assented and they proceeded some 200 yards when she said she could not go farther, and turned to go back. He then asked her if she still intended to do as she had said at the house, to which she replied that she did, and started to go back to the house. She had only proceeded a short distance when she heard a shot and on looking back saw young Smith still standing but he fell immediately afterward. She ran back to him, but he did not speak and died a few minutes later. She then ran to the house in great excitement and in her frenzy attempted to poison herself with sugar of lead which she had to use for sore eyes but did not take enough to affect her seriously. She came down here with Mr. Burnham, father of Mrs. Barnes, and seemed to be in such distress and so prostrated by nervous excitement that she fainted two or three times while at the depot and had to be taken to the hotel. Young Smith was about 21 years old and Miss Adams is about 17. The weapon with which the unfortunate young man ended his life was a 22 caliber revolver, the ball entering his head just back of the right temple. It was developed in the inquest that Smith was a young man of good and industrious habits. His appearance indicated that he was a strong and healthy young man. All circumstances combined to make it a peculiarly sad case.

Following the verdict of the coroner's jury:

An inquisition holden at Jamestown, in Stutsman county, Territory of Dakota, on the 28th day of April, 1883, before J. T. Eager, coroner of said county, upon the dead body of Harry Smith, there lying dead, by the jurors whose names are hereunto subscribed; the said jurors upon their oath do say that Harry Smith came to his death by suicide from a pistol shot by his own hand.

In testimony whereof, the said jurors have hereunto set their hands the day and year aforesaid.

Thos Foley, F. C. McKay, E.P. Holmes.

Attest: J. T. Eager, Coroner.

Jamestown Weekly Alert, 5/4/1883


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