Collection: Directories and Documents > Nevada County News & Advertisments

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Title: 1872 Collection Type: Directories and Documents Collection Name: Nevada County News & Advertisments # of Pages: 281 Download PDF: User Login Required Download OCR Text: User Login Required

Date Scanned: 2024-07-14 06:12:40 Item Sourced From: PDF First Created: 2025-03-17 04:08:22 Last Updated: 2025-03-17 04:08:22

Original Held At: Searls Historical Library Location: 161 Nevada City Hwy, Nevada City, CA 95959

Page: of 281  

GRASS VALLEY UNION MARCH 26, 1872 a morning, John Little, who was well known in this place, having been a resident of the town and vicinity for about twenty years and one time Marshal of the town, committed suicide by taking morphine. At the time of the rash act the deceased occupied a cabin near the Clipper saw mill, which is situated about six miles east of this place. The testimony taken before the Coroner yesterday sufficiently explains all facts: Coroner Kibbe yesterday held the inquest on the remains of John Little, at the Town Hall, Grass Valley, to which place the body of the deceased had been brought. The jury was composed of the following citizens: Samuel Granger, T. J. Johnson, Alfred Roff, Thomas Cloke, J. H. Henderson, Clinton Harrison. The following witnesses were sworn and examined: PETER TRUKKELL, aged 36 years and resides at the Clipper mill, where he is employed. Knew the deceased for two years past. Saw deceased on Saturday evening last at 6 o'clock, at supper in the boarding house at the mill. Deceased then seemed in usual health and spirits. Next saw deceased at between 7 and 8 o’clock, Sunday morning, the 24th instant. Went to cabin occupied by deceased and went into the cabin; deceased was then in bed. The face of deceased was covered up with a handkerchief and the blankets were drawn close around the neck. He was breathing very heavily. Raised the handkerchief and called to John Little; tried to arouse him by shaking him; he was breathing hard and was bathed in perspiration; could not arouse him. Witness then went to the boarding house and gave the alarm. Men went from the boarding house to Little’s cabin. We tried to arouse him but could not. We found two letters on the box by the bedside, and Mr. Hand took the letters. Little never moved or spoke after I found him, and about 4 o’clock Sunday evening, the 24th inst., he died. WM. D. HAND. I reside at Clipper Saw Mill, and have superintendence of the mill and the work carried on there; know deceased, and had known him about 15 years; saw him at 8 o’clock Saturday night and saw him again in his cabin on Sunday morning about 8 o’clock. Deceased was in bed, and was in a smothering condition; that is he was breathing very hard and was in a profuse perspiration. He was unconscious; tried to arouse him by calling to him and shaking him, but did not succeed; felt for his pulse but could not perceive that he had any. He was then breathing rapidly, loudly and harshly. I knew he was dying. I found a note on his box addressed to me; I read the note as follows: CLIPPER MILL, March 23, 1872. MR. HAND: Please give the few things I have here to Mathew [sic] Wallace, when he calls for them. I have written to him, so good by all. JOHN LITTLE. There was also a note on the box which was addressed to Mathew Wallace. It is as follows: CLIPPER MILL, March 22, 1872. FRIEND MATTHEW: By the time you get this I will be no more. I know many acquaintances will say I was a fool for doing so. They do not know my suffering; you do, and will tell them better. What little property I have here, and the cabin on the hill, you can have if you will receive them. It is all I can do for you. I wish I could do more. So good-by, God bless you and yours. I am yours respectfully, JOHN LITTLE. Good-by all. Those two were all the letters that were found. We found a small vial of morphine on the box by the bed. There was also a tea-cup on the box with a solution of morphine in it, and dry powder of morphine on the edge of cup. I do not think deceased had been in the habit of taking morphine, though I do not know positively as to that; I never heard him talk about committing suicide; he died at 4 o'clock yesterday afternoon.