The Yale expositor., 1899-06-09
SUICIDE.
Samuel Ludington Shot Him
self With an Old Musket
Friday Afternoon last.
Had Shown Signs of Insanity
and Many Times Had Made
Threats That He Would
Commit Suicide.

Last Friday evening the citizens of
Yale were shocked at hearing of the
suicide of Samuel Ludington which
took place that afternoon at $3.50
o'clock in the piece of timber on James
Weston's place directly in front of de-
ceased's late residence. We are in
formed that Mr.. I.udington had
threatened several times before to kill
himself whenever "A Respondent mood
would come upon him but the family
little thought of him carrying his
threats into action. For some weeks
past he has acted rather queerly and
showed signs of insanity, remarking
that III few days he would be gone.
Shortly after dinner on Friday he
took his gun and started out to kill a
blackbird or two. On hearing the re-
port of the gun Mrs. Ludiugton, ac-
companied by her daughter, went to
the woods in search of her husband,
not knowing but that he might have
carried out his threats. TO her horror
and surprise his dead body was found
enveloped in flames and us quickly as
possible she put out the fire. Only a
few shreds of clothing were left and
his body was black and charred. Mrs.
Ludington eXtinguished the fire and
called her son Amos who was at work
in the field near by and with the assist
ance of some of the neighbOrs the re-
mains were removed TO the house.
The scene of this sad catastrophy is
about forty rods directly in front of
the Ludington house, in the woods on
the old Regan farm near the east
fence. Mr.. Ludington must have
fnllu intnnnaH fn nI1t his nl1ng
and make Il complete Job of it. The
gun, a single-barrel, muzzle-loading
musket, was fixed in the crotch of a
sapling and the butt placed against
the trunk of another tree, the two
trees being only about foot apart.
1t is thought that he held the muZZle
of the gun to his left breast and with
his right hand used a stick to touch
the trigger. The fire from the burning
powder ignited his clothing
Saturday morning representative
of the EXpositor visited the spot and
day before. MIR. Ludington's little
dog was lying on the ground few feet
away and we were informed that it
had staid there constantly since the
shooting. A razor was found in the
VI bllO bNllS
badly burned and it is the idea of
everyone that he intended to cut his
throat if the gun failed.
Samuel Ludington was born at
Woodstock, Ont, March 23rd, 1919.
Married Elizabeth Hartford, May oath,
1869. Two sons Amos and Archie,
and three daughters Rosabelle, Minnie
and Mary were born to this union.
The family came to Michigan in 1877
and settled on the back 40 acres of
Elan Sloat's place. Later the old
Peleg Soule farm, miles north and =
mile east of Yale, was purchased of
George Fair and deceased had it all
paid for about year before his death.
Mr.. Ludington was pleasant man to
meet and had many friends who are
sorry that he committed such rash
act. The entire community sympa-
thize with the family in their bereave-
ment.
The funeral was held from the NJ. Z.
church in Yale on Sunday afternoon
at 2 o'clock, Rev. J. B. Keith officiat-
ing. The remains were laid to rest in
Elmwood cemetery. a large number
of sorrowing relatives and friends at
tended the services and paid their last
sad respects to the departed.