The Corvallis gazette. [volume] (Corvallis, Or.) 1862-1899, 1896-04-02
COMMITTED SUICIDE.
Max Friendly Ended his Life
With a Pistol Shot Monday
Afternoon in Portland.

Afternoon in Portland.
Word reached Corvallis Monday even
ling that Mr.. Max Friendly, a former we'll
known resident Of this city, who moved
ago, had committedsuicide by taking poi
fson. Tuesdays Oregonian confirmed the
report as to his death, but instead Of poison,
| it was shot from British bulldog revol-
yer that did the fatal work. Regarding the
| matter the Oregonian says business rsyerses
and other troubles had depressed him in
mind and spirits, but none OF his family
| had the slightest suspicion that he contem-
plated self destruction.
Monday afternoon about l:30, Miss
Hattie Friendly, eldest daughter Of the de-
ceased, and employed AS assistant librarian
at the Portland library, called on her father
| at his place Of business. She noticed that
he seemed in moody spirits and apparently
| i'll. She sought to persuade him to 60
homo, but he refused, saying that he might
feel better after smoking cigar. Miss
Friendly became alarmed over the condI
tion in which she found her father, and her
alarm was greatly increased when, asking
him what time it was, Mr.. Friendly SEEM
ed incapable of informing her. Feariug
| that her fathers illness would increase she
started for the Portland business college,
where hsr younger sister, Sadie, is stu
| dent, to appriss her Of their fathers con-
dition. Before leaving the store, she asked
MIR. #. A. Insley, who was present, to re-
| main with Mr.. Friendly for few minutes;
as he was not we'll.
| Mr.. Insley willingly did so. and for few
| moments he and Mr.. Friendly engaged in
| general conversation, when the latter said
| he desired to go to the toilet, located a few
| feet from the rear door of the store. Mr..
Insley had not the slightest suspicion Of Mr..
Friendly's intention, but did 60 as far as the
door, which was left open when he passed
out. Friendly had not been in the closet
report Of pistol was heard, and his body
plunged out, feet first, so violently as almost
I entirely to clear the closet, and the force of
the fall was so great as to break the right leg.
A torrent of blood was rushing from gap
ing wound noar the right temple, and few
feet away was a still smoking British bull
dog pistol, which mutely told the story Of
the suicide.
Medical assistance was speedily summoned
and several physicians, reaching the scene,
sought to save the unfortunate mans life,
but recovery was hopeless, and twenty min
utes after the shot was fred Mr.. Friendly
was dead.
While the physicians were engaged in ex-
amining the wound, the eldest daughter re-
turned 10 the store, and was Mortified to learn
what had taken place during har brief alb
sence. She lamented that he had been al
lowed to go by himself, and Mr.. Insley kind
| ly said to her:
"My dear woman, you did not intimate to
me the possibility of anything of this kind"
81 did not think of such thing myself, !"
she tearfully responded. 81 knew he was
not well, aud had some trouble, but I did
| not anticipate anything like this. y
The nows of Mr.. Friendly's death came
| like thunderbolt on his wife and children
at the family home. Hattie, the eldest
| daughter, was the first to break the sad in
| tel!igenco to her mother, sisters and broth
ers, and for some moments the real import
| Of what she was SO bravely trying to tell
could not be realized. When it was, the
| sudden grief of the household was pitiful
| e ind neighbors, relatives and friends were
not wanting in tenders OF assistance.
| Max Friendly was 60 years Of age, and
had lived upon the Pacific coast nearly 40
years. In his early years he went to the
SIlmon river mines, in Idaho, where he
made good deal of money. From there
he removed to Boise City, where he en-
gagel in the livery business for some time,
his property being destroyed by fire in one
of the numerous confagrations that swept
over the mining camps in early days. Re-
bull ling, he remained in business in Boise
| City for time, but shortly after came to
the Willamette Valley, and settled in Ben
| ton county, engaging in the general mer-
chandise business at Monroe.
I Later he removed to Corvallis, where he
lived for nearly 80 years, in 1878 marrying
Miss Simon, who survives him. Mr..
Friendly followed the business of merchan
dising, and also engaged in the numbering e
trade. Several years ago his sawmill was
burned and it was always inspected that the
place was set fire by a discharged employe.
1t was then that Mr.. Frieudly first met with
business reverses. His loss by burning OF
his mill and other ventures was $6S 900.
About two years ago he was compelled to
make an assignment and settlement was
affected with the creditors at $40 cents.
| While paying nearly every dollar he
owed, Mr.. Friendly himself was left almost
penniless. and to add to his difficulties, he
became engaged in several disputes over
business transactions with John Long
which ended In Long being shot by Friend
ly. For many days it was expected thai
Long would die from the results of hi,
injuries, but he finally recovered. The
grand jury indicted Friendly for assault,
with intent to kill, end he was tried at tbs
Novembe Der term of court. The jury failed
to agree, standing II for acquittal, which
the friends of Mr.. Friendly think is really
an exonsration. The second trial was to
have taken place week after next. and il
may have been this which caused Mr.
Friendly to brood over his fallen fortune:
and business troubles, until, suffering under
great mental alteration, he killed himself
He had lived with his family in Portland
about one year, and for some time had been
| manager of the California wine depot.
He leaves a wife and eight children, Her.