JOHN J. OWENS. UTICA, ONEIDA COUNTY, NEW YORK.
John J. Owens, who has been employed at the residence of Mrs. Elizabeth Tourtellot, 49 Broad Street, as gardener and hostler, committed suicide Saturday afternoon by hanging. In order to make death doubly certain, he had previously taken a dose of paris green. The deed was committed in the barn in the rear of the Tourtellot residence.Mr. Owens was last seen alive about 11 o'clock Saturday forenoon by Miss Lizzie Henry, who is employed as domestic at Mrs. Tourellot's. His body was found about 5.30 in the afternoon, hanging to a rafter in the upstairs part of the barn. It was suspended by means of a rope about one-quarter inch in diameter. Mr. Owens had evidently climbed up by means of a ladder to a beam in the upper part of the barn, fastened one end of the rope to a rafter and the other about his neck and jumped off into the bay. The fall was about four feet.
Near the body was found a half filled quart bottle of milk and a box of paris green, from which nearly half the contents were gone.
It was plainly evident that the unfortunate man had taken a quantity of paris green before hanging himself. The poison was spread about his mouth, and his tongue and the lower part of his body were badly bloated. The deceased was dressed in his work clothes. A watch which he carried had stopped at 3.30 o'clock. Mr. Owens was 27 years of age and a strong, well built man of robust health.
The body was found shortly before 6 o'clock by Police Officer Concannon, who was summoned to the place by Mrs. Tourtellot. The officer at once notified Coroned Dodd, who ordered the body cut down and removed to Whitten and Rauth's undertaking rooms. The coroner took the statements of the immediate witnesses, and will hold no formal inquest, as the case is plainly one of suicide.
The motive for the dead man is not apparent. Mr. Owens was anintelligent man of good Habits and genial disposition. He had a great many friends, to whom his death by his own hand is a great suerprise.
Mr. Owens was born in Caernarvonshire, North Wales. He came to this country 13 years ago and first resided at 41 Spring street, this city. He soon went to work on a farm in Waterville, and remained there about three years. Later he entered the employ of John H. Jones, who conducts a farm near New Hartford. He conducted a milk route in the city for some time, and thus made many acquaintances here. He began work for Mrs. Tourtellot about a year ago.
Mr. Owens was unmarried. He is survived by his mother and two sisters, in Wales; another sister, Anna, who lives on Mary street, this city; and two brothers, Griffith G., who is at present working on a fram at Deansboro, and Richard Owens of Pleasant street, this city. Mrs. Richard Jones of Elizabeth street is an aunt of the deceased. Mr. Owens attended Bethesda Church.
The funeral will be held at Whitten and Rauth's undertaking parlors this afternoon at 1 o'clock.