FIFTH TRADGEDY
IN THE FAMILY

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Eaton Barnard Succumbed to a
Dose of Chloroform and Ended
a Protracted Spree

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HE NOTIFIED HIS BROTHER

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Sent Messages to Him at Upper Al-
ton, Using His Wife's Name--
His Father a Pioneer In-
surance Man.

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Eaton Barnard, the man who was found unconscious Friday night in the Grand Hotel, at No. 109 North Sixth street, died at the City Hospital shortly after 4 o'clock yesterday morning. Barnard never recovered consciousness sufficiently to give any reason for taking the dose of choroform from the effects of which he died. A Coroner's jury yesterday morning returned a verduct of suicide in the case.


The brother of the dead man, W. D. W. Barnard, arrived in the city yesterday and had the body of his brother taken to Murell's undertaking establishment on Market Street, whence it will be shipped to Upper Alton this evening. It will be accompanied by the brother, W. D. W. Barnard, and by the widow of the dead man, Mrs. Minnie Barnard. The funeral will take place at Upper Alton on Monday afternoon at the First Presbyterian Church, with the Reverand Doctor W. H. Bradley officiating. The burial will be in the Oakwood Cemetery of that town.


The death of Eaton Barnard is one of a series of tragedies which have wiped out all of five brothers, except the eldest, who is now taking charge of his brother's body. No cause can be given for the suicide of Eaton Barnard except despondency brought on by excessive drinking. He had been indulging in intoxicants rather freely before his death, and is thought to have taken poison while under the influence of liquor.


The father of the family was Captain James Barnard, a long-time resident of Upper Alton and a well-known business man of St. Louis in later years. He was a pioneer insurance man in marine circles, opening one of the first offices for that sort of insurance in this city at No. 320 Chestnut street.


The family consisted of five boys and four girls. The daughters are all living, the two unmarried girls being the Misses Belle and Alvina Barnard, who live with their brother in Alton, and the two married daughters being Mrs. A. H. Hastings and Mrs. Frank H. Geer of the same town.


Of the five boys the only one remaining is W. D. W. Barnard, the eldest of the family. Of the other boys, one was drowned on the wharf in this city several years ago. Joseph Barnard was killed by a train athe Relay Depot in East St. Louis a couple of years ago while on the way to meet his fiance. He was crossing the tracks to reach the train in which she was seated when he was struck by an approaching train and cut to pieces. Luke Barnard, another brother, died suddenly last spring of Bright's disease; and the suicide of Eaton completes the record of deaths in the family.


Eaton Barnard, the dead man, lived in Upper Alton for a number of years and engaged in several business enterprises there. He was not successful in most of these enterprises, and was put on his feet financially a number of times by his brother. He went to Kansas City a short time and engaged in the bicycle business. A few weeks ago he came to this city and lived with his wife for a time and the Grand Union Hotel on Eighteenth and Market streets. He left that place a few days ago snd evidently premeditated suicide, as the following telegram was received by his brother Friday morning, saying; Eaton is dead; come at once. Minnie," which subsequent developments prove was sent from Eaton, who used his wife's name. Upon receipt of the message W. D. W. Barnard came to St. Louis and failing to find Eaton, took the latter's wife back to Alton. Before departing, however, he called on the police and asked them to locate his brother. Besides his widow, Eaton Barnard leaves two small children. The drug which caused his death was a small quantity of chloroform taken internally.