Railroad Suicide

JUMPS INTO SMOKESTACK
Owen Greelish Commits Suicide in a New Way
Just after 7 o'clock last night persons about the Laclede Hotel and on the street were horrified to see a man jump into the smokestack of an eastbound freight engine standing at the new watering place at the east end of the depot. The man climbed up on the rear-end of the engine and up on top of the headlight and deliberately jumped feet first into the smokestack. For a few moments the upper part of his body remained in view over the top of the smokestack and then sank out of view. As soon as possible the train men unbolted the smokestack and it was tipped back over on the boiler. The body had settled down so that about half of it was in the smokestack and half in the lower part below. A rope was passed around the body and it was pulled out but life was extinct and the flesh burned.
From letters found in his clothing the suicide is supposed to be Owen Greelish and has a brother living in Chicago and another in Leavenworth, Kan. Messages were sent to them, but up to the time of going to press no word has been received from them.
The method adopted by suicide to end his life was a most sensational one--and probably the first time such a means has been resorted to--Lebanon Rustic.
--from Old Stagecoach Stop Gazette, Vol I, No. 1 reprinted from Pulaski County Democrat, Aug. 1, 1902.