Telegram-herald., 1890-09-21
WILLIAM D. GILBERT
HIS Death BY HIS own Hands
Occurred Yesterday.
SICKNESS lsD INSANITY TEE CAUSE
Afisr BAsslinx lenk sna Uas0cosssfally
VITA Many lecsi Diseases ns fsas
a. AL in soaeca Pa 81 Me2.
"a DerAngensnI

Shortly before noon yesterday The
community we're hoFrhea by The an
nonnoement that William y. Gilbcrs
had Just taken his own life al hs res.
dence, No. 90 Nor.h L4fsyetie-sf. Al
FIRST there WAS feeling whose roots
were ia the hope that some mistake or
Misunderstanding had given currency
10 false report, bul il was al toe true.
The cause of the suicide wAs undoubi-
edly mental unhAlance growing out Of
brokvn health, and TIE manner of Us
Accomplishment Vas hy shoot hg. tho
weapon having been directed 10 the
victims own head.
For many months Mr.. Glib trt has
been sffi.cted by disease Which he bas
believed 10 be- incurabie, and tlle com.
bined effect Of the disease itself ano Of
his fears concerning II had been the
birth OF 3 melancholy allied 10 hssnity.
For many years Mr.. Gilbert b Ad been
afflicted with periodical alta acks of
Qunsey IN al aggravated forIh. Last
spring he sought relief in TIA Hel. and
went south As far as Mexico. While Ia
that country be had an unusually
severe attack Of his dread disease, and.
not willing 10 submit 60 the medical
treatment OF that country. he started
/ 30 make hasty journey home
I by floods while passing through
Texas. and the outcome Of the unsis ll-
/ ful treatment he received from the io-
/ cal physicians there was q MAJ gpant
/ blood poisoning, from which M. 0l-
+ bert 81 last despairod Of recovering.
/ To add 10 has misiosones, he was
/ seized shortly after las return with s
I rheumatism which hei00ght hefoicaily
I for a long time, but with lll success.
/ lie visited the most famous mineral
I springs OF this and other states without
getting relief. A part oi the summer
was spent al Nack.nac IslSnG.
1 from which be returned with
/ his family about three weeks
ago. Since that time his health has ap.
preciably failed daily. Friends have
noticed with alarm the growing naica-
/ tions of las mental break down, bat no
suspicious mad been entertained Of anv
/ design OF sclf-oestructlon. Indeed. d
is not believed that this act was az AL
premeditated. Ii was doubtless the re-
suit OF sudden impulse Of a MIND rcn-
I dercd weak and desperate by crushing
/ Affections. There WAS not anything
unusual observable Yesterday morning
/ IN his physical or mental condition. All
/ things IN the family were moving in
/ their common channels. when, 81 about
/ II O'Clock, a shot was heard in an
upper room. When found the unfor-
tunato man was shot through the head
+ and sed without utterng a word.
William u. Gilbert was wcll known in
/ this city as msn Of unusual prOblty 81
/ character, with personal and business
/ habits of the very best. There -
scarcely \ man IN the city whose death
IN such manner would better ca4
forth the sympathies Of the commit
nifty. lie WAS - years Of age. and
leaves a wife ard three children. He
! has brother in Duluth. and Mrs. J. q.
/ Holt. OF tins city. was has sister. Tie
/ late Nrs. ph. G. Fuller was also hls
sister Thomas -. Gilbert is his uncle.
! He was a director of the Grand Rapids
! Gas Light Company, but his later iii-
ness had withdrawn him from active
I business pursuits.
The immediate family and relatives
/ of tie deceased vIl be sustained in
/ their poignant sorrow BY the tender
| sympathy Of large circle Of iricncs.
Coroner Iocher. having inquired into
/ the circumstances Of Mr. Gilbert
/ death, concluded that there was
nothing IN them q call FOR 81 forms
inquest. The time 81 the funeral hss
not been chosen.