A Skeleton, a Revolver, and $10.70: The Trailside Mystery No One Could Name

Portland Oregonian.

Wahkiakum County people are puzzling their brains over a case of suicide recently discovered by a hunter named Fritz Miller, of Brookfield. While out hunting last Friday on the mountainous trail which leads from Brookfield to Pillar Rock, Miller found the skeleton of a man. The body—or, more correctly speaking, the skeleton—is that of a man about 40 years of age, six feet tall, and well proportioned. The clothes were in a bad state of preservation, but had originally been a fine brown diagonal suit. He had a black overcoat, a white shirt, in one wristband of which was a gold-plated patent sleeve-button. A soft felt hat completed the costume. Lying by his right hand was a five-chamber Smith & Wesson hammerless, .38-caliber revolver, one cartridge empty. The missing bullet was found in his skull. He had evidently placed the muzzle of the pistol to his right temple and fired. In his pockets were found a small, three-blade, pearl-handled pocket knife; a package of Asthma Tobacco Cure and $10.70 in money, one $5 gold piece and the rest in silver and nickels. The coroner is of the opinion that the man must have been dead about eighteen months. There were papers on his person, but they were rotted and nothing could be made out of them. The trail is seldom traveled, which accounts for this mystery remaining so long undiscovered, and why the man should have selected such a spot to end his days is a question which may never be answered. Lumber was taken to the place, a rude coffin made, and the remains buried.