John (Jack) McCarron |
| Posted 2019-01-15 by Judy Wight Branson |
| Arizona Weekly Journal Miner, Prescott, Arizona Territory Wednesday, July 13, 1887, page 1 A Suicide John McCarron Sends a Ball into His Brain Last Saturday at a few minutes past 2 o'clock the sharp crack of a pistol shot was heard on Cortez street, followed in a few seconds by another. Parties in the vicinity rushed into the Keystone saloon and there in the first room to the left of the hall immediately in the rear of the barroom, lay the prostrate form of John McCarron, with a ghastly hole in his right temple, from which his brains and life's blood were fast oozing, while a great pool of crimson fluid lay on the carpet, covering the floor of the room. Beside him on the floor lay an old- fashioned cap and ball pistol, the barrel of which was from ten inches to a foot in length, from which was sent the fatal missile which furnished John McCarron with a passport from the troubles and realities of this life to the great unknown beyond. The first to reach the room was Oscar Vanderbilt, who immediately rushed off in finding Dr. Robinson, who hastily proceeded to the scene. It required no careful examination to determine the result of the shot, as the labored and heavy breathing, together with the death rattle in the throat, told too plainly that life was rapidly ebbing away. On the floor was found a brief letter, and was handed to Sheriff Mulvernon, of which the following is a copy: Prescott, July 9 - I, John McCarron, am going to commit suicide; kill my wife and then myself, all caused from woman's abuse. (signed) John McCarron. A man named McIntyre has been stopping at the house for sometime; says that McCarron had been drinking very much of late, that this forenoon he spoke to him in a very affectionate manner concerning his wife, and pulling the pistol from his pocket, remarked that that would be his doom. A few minutes before committing the deed he asked Mrs. McCarron buggy riding with him, but being busy, she refused to go. He lived about forty - five minutes after being shot, and when death occurred, Justice of the Peace W. H. McGrew summoned a jury for the purpose of holding an inquest, composed of the following citizens: J. L. Fisher, A. A. Moore, James Moore, Charles Yates, H. A. Kendall and M. T. Bowen. After being sworn in, the jury viewed the remains, when they proceeded to Judge McGrew's office where the testimony was taken. After taking the testimony of three or four witnesses, an adjournment was taken at 4:30 until 7 o'clock this evening. On the 16th day of December, 1885, Gottlieb Urfer, a former husband of Mrs. McCarron, came to his death in a similar manner, in the barroom within less than 10 feet of where McCarron lay dead today, the wound being nearly in the same place in his head as the one in to-day's victim, and the weapon used being a pistol. |
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