Shot Over The Heart

Alembert Edwin Keitli, son of Mr. and Mis. Edward A. Keith, of 17 S. Thayer street, and mail carrier No. 5 c the local post office, coinmitled suicide last Saturday night ander the in jst -dis tressing circumstances. Blinded by tli despondency and desperation of uure quited love lie ended liis ovvn life nudei the window of the yonng girl who was the object of Iris devotion. With a fata pistol wound jus.t over liis heartand hih life blood fast ebbing away, he diei: whispering his reasou for the rash act in theears of his sweetheart, "Foryou.' Satnrday evening !Ir. Keith and IMis Lizzie Covert, went to dancing schoo at Granger's Academy, and returned ti Miss Covert's home, 76 N. Main street, about 10:15. Mr. Keith went into the house, and tliere in a few moments the two.bad an uuderstanding as to their future relations. Keith was dismisse t as a suitor. . He asked her if it was her final decisión. She answered that it was. He told her that then he had nothing more to live for. There tlieir courtship ended and Keith stepped out into a despair darker thau the night, a despair that was shortly to end liis life. He went home, evidently threw off his coat with an intention of retiring, but his feelings overéame him and throw ■ ing on his carrier'-s uniform coat he jmnped on his bicycle and road back to j Miss Covert's home. A pistol shot rang out on the iiight air, and Miss Covert, who sat)y the stove down stairs all ready for bed, ran to the window and looked out. "Mv Godit's Ed" she cried, and raising the alarm she ran out to him in her nightdress and barefooted. Mr. Covert got úp, Keith was carried into the house the neighboihood was aroused and Dr. John Kapp was summoneil. There was a round about two inclies above his heart made by a 32-calibre pistol. The bloot! was flowing froiu his niouth and it was evident that only a few minutes of life remained to the youug man. ïlie shot was flred at 11 :40 and he died a few minutes after 12 o'clock, just' as Dr. Kapp arrived. The body was at once placed in charge of Coroner Ball, who summoned a jury, viewed the remains and adjourned until 4:30 Sunday. The body was taken to his home on Thayer street at once by his parents after bein viewed by the coroner. Yesterday afternoon the inqneut was held in the undertaking room of O. M. Maitin. The following jury was impaneled : Walter Clark, Samuel Smith, V. J. Latlirop.'Henry Schultz, Fred Cleaver and James Hession. Proi-ecuting Attorney Randall conducted the nation ot the witnesses. Mr. and Airs. Covert, Miss Fitzgerald and Lizzie Covert testilied to the factsas given above. James Harkins, who was first upon the scène, svvore that only one shot was fired in his jndgmeut, altliough Miss Covert and Miss Fitzgerald were certain that there were two reports. The houses are very close together and they doubtless heard au echo of the report. Oflïcer Collius testified to picking up the revolver near the wiridow with two chambers empty. They were not, however, consecutive chambers and could not have been fired by Keith at the time he shot himself. The appearance of his clothes and wound waspositive evidence that only one bullét entered the body. Marshal Banfield, Dr. Kapp and Mail Carrier O'Hearn were also sworn. The evidence certainly indicated suicide and a verdict to that effect was given. Mr. Keith wastweuty-one last Thursday, and had been a mail carrier for two years. This yo-uoig man, who has given such a fearful warning to other young peopte, to young Indios far more than to yo'img men, was ono of the salt of the earth. He was in moráis, scrupulously dioaest, iaitlustrious and plompt in hiis duties, and lead a Ufe that brought no tinge of sliamo to the cheeks of himself or his kindrod. Even the little Tices that so often creop toto the Hves of city boys whom wc daas among itlie best, jievcr crept i linto hia lü'c. and he tvae au lionor al'ke to the yonaig inanhood ol this city, and to all tlio.se uear and dear to liini. The vi'iy ïiiannci' oí death pro'.ed the grand detenniination and gth of his character. T here was nothiog tliat eould swerre him when he balleved hinnself riglit, and yet he was o.ne of the most companionable of yonag men, mever having enees wiifch li is associates, and never complalning -whatever he was ealleil upon to do in liis daily labor. Poistmaster B -akss spea'. s yery liighly of this element oï his character, and states that although the youngest on the forcé he ivas entrusted with one of the most important routes, one that formerly required ium to carry heavier loads than an.ost of tlie other carriers, and yet hc never murmured or even compared liís work with the work of tlie other carriers. Itevotloa to duty was a grand element in hls chiaracfer, but this same devotion was the means of liis death. Soime eigliteen momths eince Mr. and Mr?. KeitJi were called upon to bury their Becond son, Clarence, and in this terrible affliction it seems as If they were called upon to bear more than their share of sorrow. They have the most eimcere eympathy, not O'nly of friends but of the entire munfty in tlieir groat grief. The funeral services will be held on Tuesday aftemoon, at 4 o'clock, from the íamily reeidence No. 17 S. Thayer street.