The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1894-03-05
HIS PAIN TOO GREAT.
Howard S. Shaffer shoots Himself
Through the Heart.
SUFFERED FROM GRIP AND NEURALGIA

The suicide Committed at 2 O'Clock
This Morning at HIS Home NO. 4s5
Lincoln street.
Driven to desperation by tire pain and
sufferings of neuralgia grippe and
Briehts disease, Howard S. Shaffer, IS
years old, of 425 Lincoln street. commit
tea suicide this morning att 2 O'Clock by
shooting himself through the heart.
Mr.. Shaffer has been constant suf-
ferer from Brights disease for several
years and three weeks ago he was taken
with an attack of the grippe, which was
accom- panied by neuralgia pains. All
though his suffering for several days has
been acute, he has not been in bed all of
the time and be took short walk vester-
dav morning His next-dOor neighbor,
A. C. Baker saw him yesterday and says
he was very Respondent
elbow are you feeling today" Baker
asked.
Miserable. miserable he replied. cit
seems as though 1 couldn't stand this
much longer
All tie tlme Of his suicide Mr. shatFer
was il bed, and bis wife had stepped
into an adjoining room to get him a glass
Of water She was startled to hear the
report gf a revolver from the room occu-
pied by her husband. She rushed to the
bedside and found he had placed the re-
v0iver directly over the heart, under his
night-shirt and pulled the trigger. Tile
was semi-cOnsciOus and gasping for
breath when his wife arrived.
Mrs. 6hatfer hurriedlv summoned SIR.
Baker, who occupies the house adjoIn-
ing. and he was at the scene within three
minutes Mr. Shaffer expired with a
few labored gasps, in the presence of
Mrs Shatfer and AIr. Baker.
Besides the physical suffering of MIR.
Shaffer. there is another feature which
may have been responsible for his act.
at the suggestion OF his physician
he has been taking morphine for some
time to ease the pain of his numerous
ailments. He discovered recently that
the habit Of taking morphine was be-
coming altogether too strong and beyond
his control He talked plainly to his
wife and the doctor about it, and during
the past week he has made an unsuceess-
full attempt to throw off the habit He pre-
seuted himself at the Kelley institute
but was refused admission because his
condition was believed TO be such as to
unfit him Tor the treatment
AIr. Shatfer came to Topeka April Asst,
1889. He had considerable money which
he invested in Topeka property He
still owns several lots on Kansas avenue,
numerous residences about the city in-
Guiding the one which lie occupied and
the one occupied by Dir Baker and also
two farms. 1Ir. Shaffer was an early set
tier in Salina having moved there 20
years ago lie made an independent
fortune farming III that locality He was
born March Sth, 1896, ia northwestern
Ohio.
He leaves wife and one
daughter. Mrs. Ollie Spencer. now
living ia Smith county His adopted
SON, William Allen, who has been a mem
Der Of 1Ir. Skaters family from early
boyhood, takes care of bis farm south of
the city.
Mr.. Shaffer has been devout Meth
odist all his life and IS still mem her Of
the first church at Salina. The funeral
arrangements have not been made, but
Rev. Or. A. s. Embree viii probably Of
iclate-
Coroner Bailey held an inquest over
the remains this morning at $50. The
jury found a verdict Of suicide.