PEDRANTI

Posted by Cathy Gowdy on Sunday, March 15, 2009 at 05:23:12 :

Marin Journal
Thursday, October 17, 1889
Page 3

Suicide – Coroner Eden was called to hold an inquest Monday at Tomales on the body of Antone Pedranti, who lived near the Sonoma line, in Tomales. He was a native of Switzerland, 28 years of age. The inquest developed no cause or explanation whatever of the man’s self-destruction. He was prosperous, well-to-do, and had the confidence and respect of his neighbors. The clothes he had on the night before were wet, from which the jury thought he had tried to drown himself in the creek. Failing in that he returned to the house. That night he slept with his brother, and was apparently in his usual spirits. He got up early, and when his brother went to the barn he found Antone dead. He had no shoe on his right foot, a gun was clasped in his hand, resting on his body, indicating that he had placed the muzzle to his mouth and pulled the trigger with his toes. His neighbors say that he was engaged to be married, and the day was near, and think he must have had some trouble on that score. At least no other cause can be devised for his unfortunate ending.