Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1897-02-22
BULLET IN HIS HEAD.
Continued From FRS. Page.

daughter. Mrs. ostermeyer. and her fam
iiiy, and his son. Park Bacon, and his fam
ny al live at S3 Charlotte street, and
ana spent a portion of his time with them
He spent nearly all day Saturday with
them; and portion of the evening, but left
at a late hour and went to the hotel. That
was the last seen OF him by any of his rel
atlves, and they did not know where he
was. nor what had taken place until in
formed of 1t by reporters for The Journal
at 2 o'clock this morning.
The unfortunate marriage with girl
proved the first step in his undoing and
his misfortunes followed rapidly and he
found himself at the close of a long and
honorable business career without fortune.
home or family. His SORROWS weighed
heavily on his mind and he has frequently
said to relatives that he would rather be
dead than to go through the troubles of
tine last four years again. He was am
bilious and the misfortunes. financial and
marital, gave him no end of modification
and woe.
He was strictly sober man and was at
no time in his life addicted TO drink. With
all of the troubles that he has sendured
there was at no time in his life that his
relatives ever supposed his mind in any
way to be affected They said this morn
ing 1t was simply the elimination of
long series of troubles and he had weighed
them and concluded to put an end to it all.
He left a will dated February 49, 1857 and
witnessed by A. l. Smith and d. T. Alge1.
He bequeathed his library to his son, Park
Bacon. with the provision that he may
give some of the books to his sisters but
leaving this optional with him. The great
er part of his furniture is left to his
daughter, Mrs. Fannie B. Rush. certain
exception. such as glass goblet with
monogram ring and other small articles
being ing left to his son. BENJAMIN B. Bacon.
expressed wish that 1t go to Beryl B. Ba-
con should she ever have home where it
will be safe.
All of the children are to share equally
in all the rest of the property, including
collections from notes and loans, and from
policy in the New York Mutual Life In
of which is not stated.
In his room small diary was found, in
which he had made numerous entries, the
hrst dated January, 1899, and the last Feb
ruary Is, 1897. The last entry in the book
read:
Park is. taking hold and doing well for
Joe and is trying to do his duty in all
things. He now realizes my situation and
Is trying to fill his place in a manly way.
May God bless him and his wife and lead
them to prosperity is the wish of their
father"
The entry in his journal for January.
year may be one of happiness to me and
my family and that all may prosper, for
the first five years have been ones of tur-
He then speaks Of having made loans to
men who were dishonest and continues;
Then my family affairs have been dis
agreeable and a continued drain upon me.
and the ones that should have come to
my relief turned helpless, and continually
put barriers in my way.
Deputy Coroner Wheeler ordered the
body taken to Carrolrs morgue on MCGEE
street.
Wrote His own Biography.
The following letter. written on Midland
hotel letter paper. and placed in an un-
sealed and unaddressed envelope, was
found in the room after Bacon died. 1t
was not signed, but showed conclusively
that Bacon had written it for the post
mcrtem edihcation of the public:
''B. R. Bacon, born in London, England.
May %. 1S41, and when grown to be quite
a lad his father. with his family. consist
ing of wife, three sons and one daughter,
sailed for the United States and landed at
a store. After. a time he quit the store
and went to school at Baldwin university,
school We hear of B. R. at clyde and con,
nected with merchant there in dry goods
few years later We find him running
quite a large business of his own "a gem
. eral store), and buying his goods in New
York and Eastern markets. After the
war, in 1866, B. r. came West and cast his
opened up dry goods store, corner Eighth
and Main, the first uptown store. all other
stores being below Missouri avenue to
with G. Y. Smith. partner. between
Seventh and Eighth on Main firm G. Y.
Smith & Coz, from where they removed
successful business for twelve years. Then
3. r. Bacon Withdrew from the
nrm Oh u. l. Smltn q Co., anG worked up
the enterprise of the Doggett Dry Goods
Company, and was the general manager
and secretary for four years. During all
this time B. r. Bacon and family lived
(27 years. at the Bacon homestead. north
east corner Independence and Garfield av-
enues. where his children were born. He
was one of the chief movers in getting In
dependence avenue out through the bluffs
and the ravines filled up. and from Wood
land avenue down to Grand avenue He
has always worked for the interests of the
city and given employment to thousands of
people. After Withdrawing from the Dog
gett Dry Goods Company three years since
he has been in Old Mexico and the South