Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1891-09-12
BLEW OUT HIS BRAINS.
Sad and Sensational Suicide of
Give F. Whiffen.
He Attends tho Plsy Last Evening
and on His Return Home De
stroys Himself in a shock
ing IaBner-The
Deiails.

Olive +. Whlnen, son of w. NJ Whittier
residing on the corner of Eight avenue
and Thirty-ninth street. committed sui.
eide at 11:45 O'Clock last night by shoot
ing himself IN the right side of the head
with A ,calibre revolver.
The young man together with his
father had been ct Hsrper's theatre wit,
Messing the presentation of the
comedy "Oe Olson" and returned home
on car about Ills O'Clock. Shortly
afterward Give went to his room in the
second story of the house to retire. His
father noticed nothing unu sual in his ap-
pesrance, but remembered that he did
not say good night" as was his custom
when he left him for the night. The
latter went to his own room shortly
afttrward and was almost asleep when
he wss startled al hearing the report of d
pistol. Tie first thought was that
lamp or something had fallen, but a
second thought of burglars being in the
house aroused him and he at once arose
and made light and looked into the ad-
joining rooms. Finding nothing he called
to his son, but received no answer. He
then went to the latters room and pushed
open the door, The sight which met his
gaze bewildered the father so that he can
not recall what he did for some tine
afterward. Tie neighbors close BY were
aroused ard at once buried to the room
where never to be forgotten sight met
their eyes. There PROSTATE on tine floor
in q pool Of blood lay the lifeless form of
the young mar, while the walls and cell.
ing were despatched with the brains and
| blood of the victim. Beside him on the
| floor were two revolvers, 80 calibre with
the chambers all loaded, and a a. calibre
with one chamber empty, which told the
story. The bullet had torn its way into
the brain and death was instantaneous.
Give Whiffen, The suicide, was born in
Peoria Oct. IS, 1868, and had spent most
of his life in this city. He was employed
in The paint shops of the corn planter works
in MoliLe where his father was foreman.
and at times SUITE red from defective mental
faculties. Although his father states
that he was noL apparently excited on
his return from the theatre, circum>
stances point strongly to the fact that
his rash act was in a measure due TO
mental excitement brought on by the
play which he had just witnessed. His
| father is almost Frustrated over the sad
affair. the case being particularly touch,
ing as the boys mother had only been
! dead few mon tbs and as there had al
ways been bond of more than ordinary
| f.isl affection existing between the father
! and son.
Immediately after the neighbour ar.
/ rived Coroner HAYES was notified, and
was taken to the house by Night Cap
tain Long in the patrol wagon. where a
| jury composed of A D. Martin, fore
man; George Long, Fred E lerick B F.
| Knox, '. Q. Peterson and c. ]. Ellison,
viewed the rem aims. and hearing the eviS
dence of Mr. Whiffen and V. O. Peters
son repaired to lower room and agreed
On verdict to the effect that "Clive F.
Whjffsn came 10 his death from the eff
| fects of pistol shot wound inflicted by
his own hand, the testimony of his father
being TO the eff, ct that he was at times
mentally deranged."