Hi group
I stumbled upon this information. Hopefully, It will help someone.
Julie
jbright(a)capecod.net
"The New York Times, Friday, January 2, 1891
Died With the Old Year
Corp. John Cassidy of the Sixty-Ninth Regiment and his wife sat up late in their rooms at
125 North Sixth-Street, Brooklyn, on Wednesday night to welcome the coming of the new
year. Jut before 12 o'clock Cassidy loaded anold refle with a blank cartridge, and
started for a window, from which he intended to fire a salute to 1891. On his way
something got into his slipper and he sat down to take it out. The muzzle of the rifle
touched his stomcah and when the weapon was discharged in some way the wad mad a wound in
his addomen from which he died in a few minutes.
Sad is the story Mrs. Cassidy tells of the tragedy. The Brooklyn police, however, incline
to the idea of a suicide, although no reason is known why Cassidy should have desired to
kill himself. Coroner Lindsay ordered an utopsy to be held today."