Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1882-05-24
Suicide of John LEI. Wyna03e at
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that has so startled and shocked the COM
munity as the suicide of John III. Wy
man, one of the most esteemed and res
pected citizens of that place, and one of
the wealthiest and most independent
farmers of the community. Situated as
he was, happy in all his family relations,
independent and unembarrassed in his f.
nancial affairs, no possible reason can be
given for the tragic event, except that he
was laboring under a temporary fit of in
sanity. The circumstances Of the event,
as the same were developed upon the in
quest were about as follows: No sus-
picion of any wrong in his mind was en-
tertained until Friday morning, when in
company with young relative who has
made his home in the family for some
time past he started across lots from his
residence in the village to his farm stu
ated beyond the Poor House. During
the walk he told his companion that some
person was trying to injure him and to
break up his family, but that ne would
never part from his wife while living,
that rather than have any scandal about
it, he would kill himself, and that in fact
he then had his pistol in the pocket ready
to shoot himself. His companion made
light of his remarks, considering them
mere idle, talk and asked him what reason
he had to think SO; he acknowledged that
he had no reason, but merely thought so.
| He was further reasoned with in the mat
ter and before returning home it had evil
| IDENTIFY passed out of his mind. During
the forenoon he worked near the house
with or near other persons and spoke and
acted perfectly natural. Later he accom-
panied w. G. Fuller, Supintendent of
the Poor, to Beaver Dam, where they met
G. Hemmy, who Immediately on see
ing him was struck with his strange looks
and actions, and whose first impression
was that be was drunk. Such was far
from being the fact, however, as he had
not drank anything that day and in fact
seldom cared about drinking The de-
ceased asked Fuller and Hemmy why
they looked at him, so strangely, took
| them into back room at Parmelee's sa-
loon, locked the door, again charged them
with looking at him SO strangely, and ask
ed them if they had heard of any scandal
about his family that was to be published
in the paper; they both denied ever hav-
ing heard word of any scandal while
he persisted that there was something the
matter, and that they knew it. Nothing
occurred on the way home with Mr.. Full
Ter, except that deceased in his conversa-
ton referred to his financial matters, stat
ing that he had signed bonds and notes
for other parties which he expected he
would have to pay. At about 4:30 P. NJ.
they reached Juneau, and deceased went to
| his house, spoke as usuel 20 his family,
went to the pantry and ate a piece of
pie, passed into the bedroom and from
thence outdoors towards the barn. Near
the barn his relative was working: he
stopped and told him he had been to Bea-
yer Dam, where he had heard a good
many things, and that he guessed he was
mistaken in what he had stated in the
morning He passed down into the
horse stable, and not a minute later his
relative heard shot fired; before he had
time to collect his thoughts another shot
followed, and starting for the barn he saw
through the window the deceased stand
ing with a pistol pointing towards his
breast. He called to him, hurried through
the gate, but before he had reached the
door two more shots had followed in quick
succession and deceased had fallen down
on his face He turned him over on his
back, found him gasping, but unable to
talk, hurried to the house, informed his
wife and called the neighbors Before
the doctor arrived death had taken place.
The medical examination showed that
deceased had fired four balls from a So
calibre revolver into his left breast, either
three of which in the doctors estimation
was sufficient to cause death. A Jury
was empanelled, heard all the test-i
mony and returned verdict in accord
ance with the facts, adding that the de-
ceased, in their opinion, was laboring un-
der temporary fit Of insanity. The de-
ceased who was IS years old, leaves a
widow and two sons, one about II, the
other about ten years old; the widow is
the daughter of Barber Kendall, of Hus
tisford. He leaves farm of 22O acres
near the,village, worth not less than $40,
900, house and II acres of land in the
village, worth about $4,000, and consid
cradle personal property. He had M
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