The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1898-12-16
SHOT HIMSELF.
Suicide of Lloyd Little Thurs
day Afternoon.
In a Moment of Temporary Insanity
Thursday Afternoon, he Ended his
Life With Revolver.

lie WQlle IN mOmeuG VI Ueupol diy
insanity, it is believed. Death was
instantaneous, and was caused by a
shot from revolver.
Mr. Little had room in the second
story of Cal Smiths residence,in West
Mankato, and took his meals next
door with his sister, Mrs. P ter Sta
ley. Thursday afternoon, accom-
panied by Mrs. Smith, he called on
Mrs Staley. About pm ne said that
he guessed that he would go to his
room, and went out, leaving Mrs.
Smith at Mrs Staley's. A little later,
Mrs. Smith returned home, and called
to Mr.. Little. Receiving no response,
she went to his room. 1t was quite
dark by that time. and when she
looked into the open door she saw a
form lying on the floor. She spoke
again, but receiving no reply she be-
came frightened and summoned Mr..
Caswell, who was across the street.
Mr.. Caswell made an investigation
and found Mr.. Little lying in a pool
of blood on the floor. His feet were
toward the wash stand, back of which
WAS looking glass. The wash bowl
was on the floor, broken, and re-
volYer was lying on the wash stand.
There was bullet wound just inside
of Mr. Little's left eye, and he was
dead. The appearance of the sur
roundings was that as soon as he had
entered the room he had taken his
revolver, stepped in front of the look
ing glass to be sure that the weapon
was pointed in exactly the right d.
rection, and fired. After firing, he
must have laid the revolver on the
stand, and then perhaps caught hold
of the wash bowl and dragged it off.
The revolver was of So calibre, and
had two empty chambers
Mr.. Caswell went to c. f. Hallman's
store and telephoned to the city hall.
Chief Wagon and Officer Daniels at
once drove over to West Mankato and
looked over the ground. Deputy
Coroner E. R. Kennedy was notified
aud made an investigation. AS there
was no question about the case, it
was concluded that no inquest was
necessary.
There is reason to believe that the
deed was not premediated. 1t was be-
tween 400 and 500 p. m. when Mr..
Little left his sisters residence. He
remarked that he would go home and
build fire and then so down town
for some medicine that he wanted.
He then sawed some wood and car
ried it up to his room, piled it up as
usual, making ready for the, night,
built fire, and apparently was ready
to go down town. His oVershoes were
on, but his overcoat was laid aside.
Only one wound was found on Mr..
Little's body, the one in his head.
The bullet lodged in the brain. The
revolver was self-acting Smith &
Wesson, and had five chambers. Three
loaded cartridges were found in it,
and two empty shells. The second
empty shell cannot be explained. No
one heard any shots fired. 1t is
thought that the act Of self destruc-
tion was committed at shortly before
FIVE o'clock, and it was few moments
after five when Mrs. Smith returned
home.
The deceased was 46 years Of age.
He was the oldest of four brothers
and two sisters, the others being
Orange and D. A. Little, of this city,
Deighton Little, of Judson, Mrs. P.
J. Staley, of West Mankato, and Mrs.
Frank S BragdoD,of Fergus Falls. He
was born in Boone county, ILL.,, and
came to this county when a boy.
Afterwards he went east, and return
ed about six years ago. He was a
painter by trade, and was foreman of
several important establishments in
the east. Owing to impaired health,
following an attack of typhoid fever
several years ago, he was obliged to
give up his trade. He purchased
farm near Spring Island, this county,
and cleared it up, selling the wood in
the city. He sold the farm this last
fall, aud since that time had been
living in West Mankato. His health
was not very good, and at times he
was depressed in spirits, but was
easily cheered up. He was much i'm
proved during the fall and winter.
He was in comfortable circumstances,
and there was no reason why he should
have been discouraged. His main
trouble was nervousness and lack of
ability to sleep. He complained of
trouble with his head, but none of
the family thought that there was
anything seriously wrong with him,
and he never intimated that he had
any intention of committing suicide.
His brothers believe that his suicide
was not premeditated, and that it
was done during a moment of mental
arrangement.