Grand Rapids herald. [volume] (Grand Rapids, Mich.) 1892-1959, 1892-01-24
DIED In AN INSTANT
Henry L. Finney's Tragic SUR
eide.
COULD NOT STOP DRINKING
That Was the Excuse Of a Highly Re,
sp>cted Citizen Fos Making His
Wile Widow Yesterday.

About fifteen minutes before 10
O'Clock yesterday morning Henry L..
Finney, IS years old, residing Al No. 81
Center street. shot and killed himself.
finney hss been employed at the
oriel Cabinet company as bookkeeper
Tor the past seven years. Periodically
he has been In the habit OF drinking.
and his rash act was the result OF
recent spree. lie had not been work
ing for several days, and had repeatedly
told his wife that he WAS ashamed o!
himself and would have to quit.
The fact that he could not control
his appetite tor s,imulants caused him
10 cay several days ago, 10 his wife.
that II he could not refrain from in.
dulging, he would kill himself. To
this assertion she paic little heed, but
how sincere ne was has been shown.
Tie Borrows . Revolver.
Yesterday he arose early IN appar.
emily better spirts than usual, and.
donElng his clothes, went TO the grocery
store Of Phil Grahan, on South Division
street. where he had been trading. Mr..
Graham gave hiln a cigar, which he
lighted aud began smoking. He then
asked Mr.. Graham il he had q revolver.
explaining that ne had q sick cat At
home which he deeired TO shoot.
Graham loaned Finney the pistol, q
S2-calIbre American bull dog, which he
carried home. AS he entered the door
he met his wife, who. noticing that he
h.1 ali a
not 10 go into the sitting room whore
klttie, "a young lady visitor, was, be-
Cause she did not want her to see him
IN such condition. ~
lie laughed without replying in the
negative or affirmative. said he had
done pretty we'll while out" He had
secured free lunch, a cigar and q re-
volyer.
N-s. Finney Suspected Nothing.
Even then Mrs. Finney did not sus-
pect that her husband intended to
harm himself, and SAID, "You haven't
bought a revolver. have your
He replied. well. should say not;
/ borrowed it,"
These were the last words Finney ut
tered. He went up stairs, and Mrs.
Finney began the preparation Of break
fast. Not more than five minutes had
elapsed when she heard the report OF q
revolver. Mrs. Finney ran up stairs
and opened the bed room door.
The sight She Saw Within.
Stretched out full length on the bed
was the body of her husband, the blood
gushing from an ugly wound in the
right temple, the revolver from which
A. Itx,h hill al ~ao ~ N
upon his shoulder where 1t had
dropped. The arms were lying lifelesa
by mis- side. the head turned srlfle to
the left, the eyes closed, the heart still
and respiration suspended. Death was
instantaneous. The ball penetrated
and lodged in the brain.
Coroner Penwarden, who was not!-
| fed, examined the remains and decided
that an inquest was unnecessary.
In addition to his wife, Penney leaves
one child, daughter years old. He
was prominent knight Of Pythias,
and was past chancellor of Cowan
lodge. He was also y well-known menu
Der of the Owashtanopg club. The only
reason assigned is that he was diesusted
with himself because he could not con-
troll his appetite for liquor. and thought
he was better Off dead than alive. His
friends think Inc must have been tenn.
porarily deranged.
TO ali appearances he was . fine man
and representative citizen, sound IN
body, mind and character. Neighbors
who have lived near him for years never
knew that he even drank at all. Mrs.
! Finney is said to be q model wife aud
mother, and the family was highly re-
spected in the community.
Cowan lodge will hold a meeting to-
night to take suitable action and make
preparations TO attend the funeral, ar
rangements for which will be made
later