OBIT: Valentine VINISKY, 1891, Altoona, Blair County, PA

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LIFE'S JOURNEY ENDED.
VALENTINE VINISKY, OF THIS CITY, SHOOTS HIMSELF.
He Put a Bullet Into His Body Yesterday Evening at His Room in the West 
End Hotel, and Although Still Breathing When Found, Never Spoke, but 
Expired Almost Instantly.
NO CAUSE IS KNOWN FOR THE RASH ACT
Unless It Be That He Had Become Melancholy - He Was a Polander by Birth 
and Aged 35 Years.

  Valentine Vinisky, a Polander by birth and a laborer by occupation, 
lies dead in room No. 19, West End hotel, this city, a victim of a 
pistol shot wound.  The finger which pulled the trigger of the revolver 
was his own and the deed is supposed to have been done with suicidal 
intent.  His room shows that he was a careful and methodical man.  
There was no disarrangement of articles of furniture or clothing.  The 
four walls were covered with pictures of all kinds - show lithographs, 
of full size, small chromos of people and animals, etc.  Every 
available space had a picture on it and taken as a whole the effect was 
pleasing.  On the floor lay the dead man.  Clean shaven, clean-clad, 
his face in perfect repose, but the eyes were glassy in death.
  Vinisky had been a boarder at the West End for several years.  He was 
about 35 years of age and for five or six months previous to January 1 
had been out of work.  He had formerly been employed in the upper round 
house, and about a year ago was badly scalded about the legs in an 
accident there.  His injures were then dressed at the hospital, where 
he underwent treatment for some time.  Last spring he went back to 
Poland on a visit, and on returning went west in search of work, coming 
back to Altoona on October 26 last.  He had no steady employment from 
that time until January 2, when he went to work in the erecting shop, 
under Foreman Peter Moore.  From the evidence afterward given before 
the coroner's jury, it was learned that he had complained of the work 
being too hard and had stated that he was going to quit.  He was 
persuaded not to do so, however.
  Yesterday evening the boarders sat down to supper about half-past 5 
o'clock.  Vinisky was with them and seemed to be in better spirits than 
usual.  The meal over, it is not known just what time he went up 
stairs, but it was about 7 o'clock when Mrs. Engle, wife of the 
proprietor of the hotel, was going into the store room or pantry, which 
is directly under the apartment occupied by Vinisky.  She was startled 
by a pistol shot, the noise as of a heavy body falling, and three 
screams.  She recognized the voice as that of Vinisky, and hurrying 
into the office where her husband and the boarders were, gave the 
alarm.  Mr. Engle and a number of those present went up stairs.  On 
reaching the room W. J. Dannals, clerk of the hotel, took out the 
transom and looked inside.  Vinisky was apparently dead.  Mr. Engle and 
others then went in the room, the door not being locked.  The wounded 
man was still breathing and a physician was sent for, but none could be 
obtained.  Vinisky, however, was past human aid and in a few moments 
breathed his last, without speaking and apparently without recognizing 
any one.  The ball had entered the body just below the middle of the 
breast bone.
  The revolver with which the deed was committed was of 32 calibre and 
of six chambers.  Only one was empty.  On being notified of the death 
Coroner Poet went to the hotel, where he impaneled the following jury: 
James McFeely, George T. Miller, Peter Ross, P. J. Malone, Joseph Tyler 
and O. E. Crissman.  After hearing the evidence of Mr. A. J. Engle, 
Mrs. Engle and Mr. W. J. Dannals, the following verdict was returned: 
"Deceased came to his death from a pistol shot wound in the breast, the 
same being shot from a 32-calibre revolver held by his hand."
  How long the deceased had been a resident of this country is not 
positively known, but he had been a boarder at the West End hotel, in 
this city, for about five years past.  He spoke English very well and 
was well liked by those who knew him.  He had been a soldier in the 
Russian army and his discharge papers were found in his room.  His 
parents are both dead and a sister living in Poland is his only known 
relative.  The name of his native town could not be learned.  What led 
him to commit the rash act is not known, unless he was of a melancholy 
turn of mind and had been brooding over something.  On his person was 
found $979.5 [sic] and a handsome gold watch.

Morning Tribune, Altoona, Pa., Monday, January 12, 1891

VINISKY THE SUICIDE.
His Life's Path Had Not Been Strewn With Roses.

  Yesterday afternoon the body of Valentine Vinisky was laid away in 
the potter's field connected with St. John's cemetery.  On Sunday 
evening it was placed in charge of Undertaker B. J. Lynch and prepared 
for burial.  This morning the mound of earth is covered with new-fallen 
snow.  The amount of money found on his person was $97.95, not $979.5, 
as an error made it yesterday.
  The bullet which took away Vinisky's life also brought to light some 
of the history of the suicide.  That history has much of sadness in it 
and some of it was told a TRIBUNE man yesterday.  While the dead man 
spoke English well he could write but little either in his own language 
or the language of this country.  Consequently no letters passed 
between him and his relatives in far away Poland.  When early last 
summer he went to his native land he did so only to find his parents 
dead, his sister married and her husband sick to such an extent as to 
be confined to bed.  During the years Vinisky had lived in this country 
he had been both industrious and frugal.  He had saved money and when 
he saw his sister was in want he divided a portion of his means with 
her and gave her $300; his best clothing he gave to his brother-in-law.
  Then he came back to America.  Landing in New York he met a shrewd 
Polander to whom he told his story and this countryman promised to get 
him work.  Vinisky was taken in charge by him, and with his new 
companion went to one of the numerous houses of ill-repute in the 
metropolis, was drugged and robbed of $350 and his overcoat.  He came 
back to Altoona.  Still having a little money he was advised to go west 
for work.  He went, was in the main unsuccessful and again came to this 
city.  A friend secured him work in the erecting shop.  This labor was 
too hard for him yet he was persuaded to continue at it by others.  
Monday morning the work would again call him.  Depressed in spirits he 
ended his life on Sunday evening.  A stranger in a strange land his 
earthly troubles are over.

Morning Tribune, Altoona, Pa., Tuesday, January 13, 1891