Logan-Gray County KS Archives News.....Suicide of Unknown Man and inquest; Henry BARNHART missing and found June 28, 1888 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/ks/ksfiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Cic. Stetter TimeTraveler303 April 11, 2008, 9:20 pm The Winona CLIPPER, Winona, Logan County, Kansas; June 28, 1888 June 28, 1888 SUICIDE. _____ An Unknown Man Commits Suicide by placing a 44-calibre Revolver to His Head and Sends a Ball crashing through his Skull. _____ He is Found under the Roof of an Abandoned House Three Miles West of Town and _____ Leaves nothing Except his Pocket Pieces to identify him by. _____ A CLIPPER REPORTER ON THE SCENE. _____ Yesterday afternoon, about one o'clock our little city was thrown into a state of excitement when W. G. INGHAM and H. P. SMITH came to town and reported having found the dead body of a man lying under a roof of an old claim shanty on Mr. INGHAM's farm 3 miles west of town. The report they gave was that the person had come to his death by the roof falling on him. The roof was something the shape of a box car roof and had been used as a shelter for pigs by Mr. INGHAM and was just raised up at one side and props placed under to hold it in position and the supposition was before an examination had been made that the party had gone in there to protect himself from rain and while lying under, the wind had blown the roof from its supports and it had fallen upon the victim and crushed him. In the absence of our coroner Justice of the peace EDMONDSON immediately summoned and empaneled (sic) a jury of six and ordered hem to proceed forthwith to view the remains and hold an inquest, said jury consisting of J. P. ISRAEL, I. B. FELTS, J. C. LOUCKS, Wiley YOUNG, H. W. DAVIS and Thomas RHODES, who immediately procured conveyances and together with a number of citizens and undertaker AUGHINBAUGH proceeded to the scene of death which afterward proved to be suicide. Being one of the first on he grounds your reporter found the roof as described lying right side up but flat on the ground and when the roof was raised, there lying face downward with head almost buried in his arms was the lifeless form of a man between the age of 25 and 30 years old. After the roof was removed the mysterious death was fully explained and showed it was the work of a suicide, for clenched in the right hand with his thumb on the trigger was a double-action 44-calibre bull-dog revolver with the muzzle pointing at the temple and a large hole clotted with blood showing how death had come to the unfortunate. The face and breast had already become terribly discolored and the features were distorted and horrible to gaze upon. The face and breast had already become as black as a negro and the first remark and thought was it was that of a colored man but further examination quickly proved it to be that of a white person. The body was turned over and the jurors began an examination. Mortification had set in and the stench was already almost unbearable making it necessary for a disinfectant to be used. The weapon which had so effectually done the wishes of its victim was removed from the death grip after some pulling and one chamber was found entirely empty and the one the hammer rested upon contained only the shell the leaden messenger of death having found its way into the head of the unknow (sic) suicide, the three remaining chambers contained as many cartridges, 44- calibre. The description of the unknown is briefly given as follows: High forehead, reddish brown hair and mustache, pretty heavy, about 5 feet 9 inches tall, would weigh between 160 and 175 pounds, wore pair of No. 8 shoes, almost new, had cut piece out of toe of right foot shoe which had hurt his foot, had dark blue soft hat in coat pocket, with name "Volunteer" inside sweat band, and a cap was found just outside from under the roof, size 6-7/8, a bull clasp, leather purse was found in pants pocket containing 3 one-cent pieces and a valise key; a lot of matches, chalk pipe, sack of Durham smoking, piece of plug chewing tobacco, comb, red bandana with meat tied up inside, small 22-calibre revolver, (unloaded) tin box of mercurial ointment, closing bone toothpick, one sheet of U. P. railroad time table showing time card between Hugo and Wallace, two pocket knives, some more meat in upper coat pocket, were taken from the pockets. The clothing were all good and clean and the coat and vest were light grey, reddish stripped cheviot shirt, red flannel under-clothing, cottonade pantaloons, new suspenders. The shoes and legs of the pants showed that he had not traveled any since the rain as the mud was still on the shoes and pants as though he had been caught in a rainstorm and had sought shelter and death. The witnesses were examined on the ground after which the remains were turned over to the undertaker who brought them to town and all the clothing removed and the jury made a second examination for marks of identification but his identity still remains a mystery. Dr. MOULTON viewed the body and his presumption was life had not been extinct more than 24 hours at most. The body was terribly mortified and was a terrible site to behold and the general impression is the victim was a tramp who had become tired of life whose identity may never be known unless his friends do so from articles found in his pocket and his wearing apparel. It is quite evident that he had sought refuge under this roof Monday afternoon during the storm and becoming despondent shot himself and the wind afterwards blew the roof off the props onto the lifeless body. Following is the witnesses testimony and coroners inquest: __________ State of Kansas } County of Logan } SS. H. P. SMITH being duly sworn deposes and says: this morning (Wednesday) I was plowing 25 rods east of this shed and was just going to dinner when the dog started up a rabbit. Mr. INGHAM was plowing with me and we stared after the dog and rabbit, and as we did so another rabbit started up and we soon lost track of it and Mr. INGHAM said sometimes they go under this roof and the roof was raised by Mr. INGHAM and I looked under for the rabbit and saw the body lying there and said there is no rabbit but there is a dead man under there. We let the roof down again as near in the position we found it as we could and I told Mr. INGHAM it was on his land and he must notify the officers at once. We did not molest the body at all. Didn't notice any revolver in hand because we made no farther examination. My impression is his body had lain there one week. Had heavy rain Tuesday one week ago and my theory was he went in under the roof, which is generally proped (sic) up at one end, for shelter and I had no idea of self-destruction when I discovered the body. I did not hear any report of firearms that I remember of. {signed} H. P. SMITH __________ State of Kansas } County of Logan } SS. W. G. INGHAM being duly sworn, deposes and says: I was plowing here about noon to-day and dog got after a rabbit and finally caught it and I saw Mr. SMITH coming down from his plowing and he said there was another rabbit near here and I took a look through the tall weeds to see if I could find it. Not finding any rabbits in the weeds I thought it might have run in under this roof so we came down and I raised up the roof and Mr. SMITH looked under and I asked him if there was anything there and he said no rabbit but there is a man under there, so we let the roof down and Mr. SMITH told me it was on my place and to notify the authorities. My impression was the same as Mr. SMITH's, that he had been crushed by the falling of the roof which sometimes was kept propped up at one end to afford shelter for my pigs. I went to town immediately and made the circumstances known. One week ago Monday I was there and looked under the roof for some irons I had there and there was no man there then. I heard a report of firearms in daytime a few days ago but thought nothing of it because I supposed some one were shooting rabbits. I looked around but did not discover any person around but it is not unfrequent (sic) to hear shots so I paid very little attention. I live three quarters of a mile from this spot. {signed} W. G. INGHAM __________ State of Kansas } County of Logan,} SS. An inquisition holden on the southwest quarter of section two (2) Township 12, Range 36, in county and state aforesaid on the 27 day of June, A. D., 1888 before me, William H. EDMONDSON, acting coroner of said county, on the body of a man, a person unknown, there lying dead; by the jurors whose names are hereunto subscribed; the said jurors upon their oaths do say that the unknown deceased came to his death by a revolver ball entering his skull near right ear, fired by himself, with suicidal intent. In testimony whereof the said jurors have set their hands this 28th day of June, A. D., 1888. J. P. ISRAEL, I. B. FELTS, N. W. YOUNG, T. H. RHODES, J. C. LOUCKS, Henry DAVIS, Attest: By Wm. H. EDMONDSON, Justice of the Peace, Winona Township, Kansas; acting as coroner of Logan county, Kansas. ________________ Source: The Winona CLIPPER, Winona, Logan County, Kansas; Thursday, June 28, 1888; Volume 1 No. 31, page 1 columns 2-4. Microfilm available at Oakley Public Library (Logan County, Kansas); filmed by/for Kansas State Historical Society, Topeka, Kansas. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * The revolver with which the tramp referred to last week commiting (sic) suicide and one of the pocket knives, have been recognized by J. R. MULLEN of Sheridan as his property, which was stolen from him Sunday, one week ago. ________________ Source: The Winona CLIPPER, Winona, Logan County, Kansas; Thursday, July 5, 1888; Volume 1 No. 32, page 4 column 3. Microfilm available at Oakley Public Library (Logan County, Kansas); filmed by/for Kansas State Historical Society, Topeka, Kansas. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Henry BARNHART who has a claim in Gray county and was supposed to possess considerable money has been missing for several weeks, and last week G. W. WHITESIDE and Peter LOWN from Ingalls, Gray county, were in this city looking for some trace of BARNHART. The supposition is that BARNHART has been murdered and their hearing of the man recently found dead 3 miles west of town came here and had his body exhumed and made and examination. They are very certain the supposed suicide is BARNHART as they had a photograph of him, and a number of our citizens who viewed the remains and photograph say there is a striking similarity and there is but little doubt but they have found the right party. Should such prove the case then it was murder instead of suicide, and a well concocted scheme too. Messrs. LOWN and WHITESIDE went out to where the body was found accompanied by Frank BLEAKSLEE and a few other citizens for evidence and thence they went to McAllaster. We expect to hear something more of this mystery farther along which will reveal a terrible crime. Mr. WHITESIDE found "Dad" UPDEGROVE an old army acquaintance and he expressed himself to Mr. U. as positive the chain of evidence now gained was sufficient to warrant them in making arrests of certain parties if found and he believed (sic) the body of BARNHART was that supposed to be a suicide which lay decaying in our cemetry. (sic) {alternate spelling: Frank BLAKESLEE} ________________ Source: The Winona CLIPPER, Winona, Logan County, Kansas; Thursday, July 19, 1888; Volume 1 No. 34, page 1 column 2. Microfilm available at Oakley Public Library (Logan County, Kansas); filmed by/for Kansas State Historical Society, Topeka, Kansas. * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Not Barnhart. The identity of the man who committed suicide out west of town some two months since remains a mystery yet and there's no clue to his name or former whereabouts, as will be seen by the following, cliped from the Abilene Gazette, the supposition that he was Henry BARNHART is a mistake. "Henry BARNHART, who so mysteriously disappeared from north Gray county some months ago, returned in good health last week. Henry KOPP, who has been in jail for the past three months charged with his murder, was immediately released." ________________ Source: The Winona CLIPPER, Winona, Logan County, Kansas; Thursday, August 16, 1888; Volume 1 No. 38, page 1 column 4. Microfilm available at Oakley Public Library (Logan County, Kansas); filmed by/for Kansas State Historical Society, Topeka, Kansas. Additional Comments: There may have been another clip about the unknown man and the man who was initially thought a candidate. Something may have been missed while compiling these items. File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/ks/logan/newspapers/suicideo363nw.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.poppet.org/ksfiles/ File size: 13.2 Kb