Utah Enquirer | 1889-03-15 | Page 2 | Suicide at Price

SUICIDE AT PRICE mat simmons shoots himself HE IS POUND OF STEALING CATTLE and failing to secure bondsmen takes his life the news las reached us of the suicide of mat simmons at price wednesday morning it seems that simmons bad stolen a steer killed it sold part of the meat and eat the balance in bis family then be took the hide and after cutting out the bianas sold it to orange seely at castle dale emery county beety inspected the hide and finding the brands gone became suspicious but be paid simmons his price and said nothing after simmons had pone seely referred the matter to mr ballenger the prosecuting attorney of emery county who identified the hide as that belonging to an animal of his A warrant for the arrest of simmons followed and he was arrested on tuesday simmons had an examination at price found guilty and bound over to await the action of the grand jury on a charee of grand larceny he started out to secure bondsmen but was unsuccessful ho was then taken to a log house near the depot for imprisonment when the at lention of the sheriff was turned from him he put two holes through bis j breast just above the heart he lived but fifteen minutes an inquest was held in the afternoon and a verdict in accordance with these facts was ren acred simmons leaves wife and six children since the above was in type emery writing from price on wednesday sends us a more detailed account of the circumstances cum stances leading to alie unhappy affair he says A short time ago matthew simmons of this went to the seely grist mill at castle dale to procure some flour he made payment for the same with two bides a ateer hide and a calf hide they were frozen badly and crumpled up mr seela at the time of purchase felt impressed that chece was a screw lose and he spread open slightly the frozean bide and discovered a large hols in one side he thereupon soaked it and stretched it out upon close he detected a brand on tho hide which ho know belonged to A ballenger our county prosecuting attorney the hide was thereupon sent by stage to price this lead to the airest of Si ramons and an examination at which sufficient evidence was adduced to bind him over to await the action of the grand jury sheriff loveless was very lenient with simmons all through the affair on tuesday simmons as he thought had secured bondsmen and so reported to sheriff Lov cleas upon which he was permitted to go home and stay with his family the result was however that the bonds had been signed on conditions those conditions being that relatives should secure the requisite bondsmen which they declined to do tha sheriff on learning these facts proceeded to simmons farm four miles down price river from price station when he got there he found that simmons had started up he then le turned and soon overtook simmons who appeared to be in good spirits on arriving at price station simmons enquired of mr davidson Davi why he refused to go on his bonds mr davidson replied when your friends go back on you you cannot expect strangers to go your bonds simmons thereupon said that he would go and see conway and asked the sheriff to permit him t 0 go up to mr boyses where mr conway was at work the sheriff granted permission on starting out simmons met and asked him to go bis bonds kindly declined simmons then made excuse to see mr conway when near neysea house he tied his horse and entered the front door there was a gun standing in the corner of the house and with this instrument he fired two shots into his left breast death resulting soon afterwards an inquest was held before E W mc lumire J P the following being the verdict OF UTAH COUNTY OP EMERY sa of an inquest held at price in price precinct county of emery and territory of utah on the day of march A I 1 1889 before E W mcantire justice of the peace of said precinct upon the body of mathew simmons there lying dead by the jurors whose names are hereunto subscribed bed the said jurors upon their oath do say that he came to his death bv two 2 gunshot gun shot wounds in the left breast administered by a gun in his own hands in testimony whereof the said jurors have hereunto set their fiands the day and year aforesaid C H V FRED E jnames 3 nAMES H S LOVELESS subscribed and sworn to before me this day of march A D 1889 E W justice of the peace it is earnestly believed that had those who should have been interested in mr simmons interest shown a willingness to secure his bonds this sad affair would have been avoided mr sim mona was as years old and was a largo well mado powerful man he leaves a wife and five children the sympathy of the community is with the bereaved family