The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1894-05-14
HE SHOT HIMSELF .
Ex-Postmaster Click, of Cir
ardville, Commits Suicide.
NO CAUSE Is ASSIGNED
An Unfortunate and Distressing End to "a
Brilliant Uareer--There Was Nothing Ia
Cause the Deceased's Friends to Apprs-
hend the Act-One Theory.
pecIal TO EvsNlNa HEnA D.

pecal TO EVENING Herald.
GGEARDyuLE, May lA-Ex-P Postmaster
j. NJ. Click committed suicide shortly be.
fore seven o'clock this morning in the
stable on his premises at this place by
shooting himself in the mouth.
The announcement of the affair caused
great sensation and few would credit
it when first made as some of the town
people had seen Mr. Click late last night
and he appeared to be in excellent health
and good humor.
The deceased arose from his bed at
about G;3O o clock this morning, dressed
himself and went out into tine yard.
There was nothing unusual in his de-
meanOr or appearance and the family
attached no Importance to his early
rising, as that was his custom. He spent
few minutes clearing obstacles from
about the board walk in the yard and then
went into the stable at the rear end of the
lot. He was not seen alive again.
At about seven O'Clock Jacob POrtz, a
neighbor and old friend of the uufortu-
nate man, heard the report OF a pistol
shot in the stable. He hastened to the
place and found Mr. Click stretched upon
the floor dead. The body was still warm.
Blood flowing from the right eye told the
cause of death The revolver, of ~
cahbre navy pattern, lay upol the floor
beside the body. Mr.. Portz gave the
alarm and broke the news of the terrible
affair to- the distressed family. A physic-
ian was summoned, but nothing could
be done and the body was removed to the
residence.
Joseph Miller Click was about SO years
of age, He was born and reared on his
fathers farm in Lehigh county and at
tended the schools of his native township.
In May, 1864, he enlisted in company {,
l33d regiment, Indiana volunteer infantry,
| and served four months. In 1866 he
located in Girardyille and entered upon
| a mercantile career, embarking in the
shoe business, and by business tact
courteous demeanor and strict in
tegrity, built up lucrative trade.
On August 20, 1866, Mr. Click married
Mary Margaret Hover daughter of John
Hover, of Girardville. To them were
born three sons: George W, Reuben j.,
and A Hover The first named son is
now mail agent on the Pottsville and
WilllamspOrt division of the PHILADELPHIA
& Reading Railroad. A second union
was made by Mr.. Click on March 10, 1890,
with Margaret Fudge. Two children
were the issue OF this union: Oliver Henry
and Joseph Allen.
In political matters Mr.. Click was
always affiliated with the Repu bliCan
party, in whose annals he 1od high, and
at the time of his death he aas one OF the
candidates for nomination by that party
for the Office of Sheriff. Prior to the first
inauguration of President Cleveland, he
held for fourteen consecutive years the
position of postmaster of Girardville. His
strict integrity and executive ability
earned various positions of trust and
honor for him. At the time Of his death
he was secretary OF each of the following
business enterprises of this borough :
Girardville Savings Fund and Loan Asso.
citation, Girardville Gas Company and the
Palace Theatre Company. He was one of
the organizers of the Citizens National
Bank of Ashland in 1875, and had been a
director from that time. He was also one
of the organizers of the First National
Bank of Girardville and member of the
Borough Council.
Mr., Click was held in high esteem by
| all who knew him and the manner of his
death was an astounding surprise, as he
was of a particularly jolly and whole
souled disposition. He attended the Potts
vile court all of last week as a juryman
and at no time while mtngling among the
many different people he met did he give
the slightest indication that his mental
capacity was disturbed, or that he was
worried by anything.
The prevailing theory for the suicide is
that despite his jovial disposition Mr..
UllCk DfOOueu over the lawsuit instituted
by the Messrs. Becker of this place for an
accounting in connection with the
management of the Palace Theatre Com
pany, of which the deceased was secre-
ta.y. The stockholders had been assessed
to pay off some Indebtedness Recently
the Beckers went into court and asked
that the collection of the assessments be
restrained, on the ground that the com
pany should have sufficient funds on hand
to meet all its obligations; at the same
time they asked for an accounting of the
company's receipts and expenditures.
The case was on the calendar for argu
ment and would have been called up soon.
1t is thought that Mr.. Click considered
the institution of this suit reflection
upon his integrity and it proved upon his
mind, although he succeeded in shielding
the effect from the observation of his
friends.
An inquest will be held in the case at 7
o'clock this evening
Mr. Click was one Of the most active
and prominent members of the Girard.
vile Post, g. A. r.. and also member
of the F. o. S. Of A, and of Shenandoah
Commandery, No, IA, Sons Of America