Omaha daily bee., 1896-11-06
GROWS TIRED OF Ill HEALTH
Joseph D. Mcdonald Of Fremont Blows
Out His Brains
ARRANGEs DETAILS OF HIS FUNERAL
Communicates with His Brother on
the subject OF ScIf-Dcstructi"u
Few Minutes Ucforc the
Fatal shot IL Fired.

FREMONT, Ne6., Nov Especial Tclc-
grant, Joseph u. Mcdonald, one Of Ere
mout's most active and best known business
men, committed suicide by shooting himself
with revolver at his residence about $40
this afternoon.
The cause Of the act is thought to be
dependency. caused by the failure OF
mining venture, in which he had rtsked con
siderable property IN Colorado. and i'll
health For the pas; few days he has been
very respondent ana low spirited ana his
family became alarmed al his condition. and
sent for his brother, Or. r. c. Mcdonald
OF Spencer, la, who has been With him
since Tuesday
This afternoon j. T. May called at the
Mcdonald residence on Military avenue. Or.
Mcdonald went to his brothers room TO
call him and was surprised at not finding
him there. Just as he turned to leave the
room he was startled by the discharge OF
a gun up stairs. lie Immediately went
where the sound came from and In a store
room on the third floor of the house, he
found his brother lying on The floor, Just
breathing his last The blood was oozing
from A bullet wound just over the left
eve the fingers of his left hand were
cleuched and the thumb ana forehnGer
blackened by smoke, and revolNe" lay
near his right hand re vas In front Of
4 large mirror When he fred the fatal Mot
he was evidently standing in front Of It
and holding the barrel OF the revolver with
his left hand the muzzle pressed against
his forehead and pulled the trigger with
his right. He fell backwards. striking his
head against a large 'ank. which occupied
the greater part Of the room.
ARRANGES ALL DETAILS.
shortly before the shooting occurred he
l. 4 toll Nyif Y
pressed himself as not wishing TO live longer
In case he should make way with himself.
he wanted his funeral services to be simple
and desired TO be buried beside the remains
OF his first wife. Not more than three min
utes after this conversation he slipped up
into the room and fred the fatal shot He
left no letter or paper giving his reasons for
the act
MIR. Mcdonald was born In Canada in
1886 He came to this country In 1868. and
taught school and did any Kind OF work
which was to be had. In 1866 he took up
a claim near Spencer. "a. Later he engaged
in the business OF railroad contracting In
lSS2-3 he had large interests in the Ca
madam Pacific railroad and was later inter
ested in contracts for the construction Of
different roads in Iowa and Missouri In
1856 he came TO Fremont. He built the
Elkhorn road from Fremont to Lincoln and
the Superior branch from the Platte river
bridge to Geneva. He also had extensive
contracts lot the Is. " NJ anu flhnoIu TOdus
in Wyoming and North Dakota. In these
ventures he was IN partnership with c. $.
Penfed the firm being Mcdonald & Pen
| field. He has recently been engaged in
developing some mining properties in Colo
! RADIO
Mr.. Mcdonald was married in 1871, to
| Lida A. Reed. They had three children,
one son and two daughters, now in Oberlin
/ college. His wife died in 1892. and in 1898
he married Alma Nielsen OF this city, who
| survives him, with one child. Mr.. Melon
| aid was an energetic and enterprisng bus
! mess man, OF a liberal and charitable dispo-
! stion. and had often expressed the inten-
| ton Of devoting a large portion Of his wealth
| to philahthropic objects. He was interested
| in many business enterprises and always
! took an active part in all measures intended
/ 10 develop this section OF the country.