Antone Savant
Obituaries
Eagle County Blade page 1 - June 23, 1904
DESPERATE DEED OF A STRANGER - LEAVES THE TRAIN IN THE MIDST OF A JOURNEY AND TAKES HIS OWN LIFE - IDENTITY SOON ESTABLISHED
Last Friday morning at an early hour a Denver & Rio Grand track walker found the dead body of a human lying at the foot of a cliff beside the passing track in the railroad yards at Red Cliff, near where the wagon road up Homestake Creek crosses the railroad.
Coroner W. H. FARNUM was notified and took charge of the remains.
The body lay in a pool of blood, the head and face were covered with blood and dirt, and blood was over the clothing and left shoe.
A trail of blood led from where the body was found to a point about 75 feet above the railroad on the hillside. The mountain side at this point is a nearly perpendicular cliff of rock and earth.
At this point was another pool of blood showing that the man had received a desperate wound and bled some time and copiously before his body fell down the cliff. A handkerchief, an open pocket knife and fragments of a broken whisky bottle were found here by the coroner, and near the body the man's hat, a conductor's passenger check bearing a punch mark and an open faced gold watch in a damaged condition. The was had stopped at 2:06. Attached to the vest was a broken chain and a K. P. charm.
Later while searching the vicinity, Marshal James MORFORD found a cheap, 38 caliber revolver, covered with blood, lying down the hill about twelve feet from where the wound was evidently received.
In the clothing the coroner found a first class railroad ticket from Terre Haute to Salt Lake City, stamped at Terre Haute, June 14, 1904, issued by the Vandalia Line, and signed by A. SAVANT as purchaser; a membership card of Perth, Indiana, Local Union No. 771, United Mine Workers of America, dues paid to June 1st, 1904. James CASSIDY secretary, issued to Anthony SAVANT, December 31st, 1903, to March 31st, 1904, issued by Coal Bluff, Indiana Lodge No. 165, K. P., John S. ROBSON, master of finance; 50 cents in money and a pipe.
The man's hat was sold by the U. P. Coal Company Store, Cumberland, Wyoming, and the clothing was marked "Anthone SAVANT." In one of the pockets of the coat was found the remaining fragments of the bottle. The man was of medium size and apparently 38 to 40 years of age.
On examination flesh wounds were disclosed on the man's face and head, but all apparently being caused by contact with rocks in the fall from the cliff. The bloody revolver contained three loaded shells, one empty shell and one empty chamber.
No bullet wound could be found on the body, and this was all that was necessary to establish a clear case of suicide. It was believed by the coroner and others that the man had shot himself in the mount. Dr. GILPIN therefore performed an autopsy on Saturday and had not proceeded far when the bullet wound was located in the roof of the mouth and probed to the posterior portion of the brain.
A coroner's jury was impaneled and after examining the scene of the tragedy, viewing the body and hearing testimony regarding how it was found and the doctor's statement, brought in a verdict "that the said Antoine SAVANT did come to his death with a five shot revolver held in his own hand."
Coroner FARNUM had meantime been in communication with the union. At first a friend of deceased telegraphed to ship the remains to Perth, but when the expense was ascertained the orders were changed to made the burial here.
SAVANT was evidently of foreign birth and a coal miner by occupation. The evening before his dead body was found train No. 5 was blocked here by a rock slide in the canon, and laid several hours at this station before going back to Leadville and thence west over the Midland. It is evident that SAVANT was a passenger on this train and from the date of his ticket must have come directly through from Terre Haute.
Judging from the condition of the body the tragedy occurred during the night. The almost perpendicular character of the cliff makes the spot where the tragedy occurred difficult of access even in daylight, and the man must have indeed been in a desperate state of mind to have made his way to it in the dark. Nothing from friends in the East has been heard to indicate the probable cause of the rash act.(23 Jun 1904, Eagle County Blade, p. 1)-.
Eagle County Times page 1 - June 18, 1904
STRANGER SUICIDES
