Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1899-04-04
WIN. MARR DEAD,
INSTANTLY KILLED BY THE EXPLO.
SION OF a SHOT GUN.
Accidental or Suicide is the Question.

SION OF A SHOT GUN.
Accidental or Suicide is the Question.
AS we go to press we are called
upon to chronicle the sad news of the
death of Wm. Mari, one of our mosl
respected citizens. 1t was first
J rumored suicide. but later reports
seem to point to the theory of acci
dent. 1t developed at the coroner's
inquest that at about 10 O'Clock,
March 20, Mr.. Mari asked for a gun
and some shells for the purpose of
shooting dog which was annoying
/, the cattle. He was then seen going
about the barn-yard and s!raw-piles
apparently searching for the dog.
There were evidences Of a dog having
been in the vicinity as fresh tracks
were found in the frost. At this time
with the exception of Jas. Mari, all of
his sons had gone after hay a dis
tance OF SIX miles and returned about
! 12 o'clock at which time a shot was
heard coming apparently from the
timber. When the family sat down
to dinner Mr.. Mari was missed:
search being made his body was
lying on its back with a gun shot
wound just below the heart and with
shot gun lying by his side with the
left barrel discharged. The BODY Law
with its head to the north and the
knees slightly bent under. The gun
was almost parallel with the body at
distance OF about two feet with the
butt of the gun to the north and
about in line with the shoulder. A
piece of binding twine had been
looped through the trigger guard.
Near where the muzzle rested the
straw had been scraped away as
though someone had slipped or
sprawled and the Ice beneath was
exposed. 1t is impossible to reconcile
the position of the enn
and the presence of this slip with the
theory of suicide. BY actual meas.
urment it was demonstrated that de-
ceased could not have discharged
the gun by means of his foot as the
charge would necessarily have
entered much higher in the BODY.
Ihe character OF the wound shows
that the gun must have been at right
angles to the body when discharged
and near enough to burn the clothing.
me deceased wore heavy pair of
ouckskin mittens which had not
been removed 1t was suggested that
the string might have been attached
to the gun in order that the trigger
might be pulled without removing
the mitten. On the arrival Of DR..
slmons, the coroner, jury consisting
OF N. M. Jewett, 1. J. eastman and
u. }. Kruger, was sworn In and after
nearing the evidence the following
verdict reached thus leaving the
question as to suicide or accident en-
t1rely unsettled. 1t will probably
never be known whether it was acci-
dent or suicide. While there are eyi.
dences that point both ways neither
are satisfactory.
We verdict; Inquest held on body of VIM. Mari.
y, We. Ne the lnry 10 find that said deceased came
own hand March 90. 1890 at IL M. in Aiton
iown;Sillp. Howard County Iowa, in his own
premises. n. N. Jewett,
!. y. eastman,
Z. j. Kruger
DE. Simons, Coroner.
Those who saw the body in the
original position are almost without
exception in favor OF the theory of
accident. The deceased was born in
Germany In 1910. At the age of four
he crossed the ocean and for a short
time resided in New York from
thence he moved to Lafayette coan-
ty, Wis, where he married to Rosa
lind Wager in 1865. In 1856 he moved
to Iowa and has since that time ra,
sided on his farm in Alton township.
when he came to this county he had
team, cow, and about $l00 in money.
he purchased the so acres OF land
near his late home. Here he has ac.
fcumufated a fine property and reared
fine family, all of whom are LETT to
mourn his loss. OF a retiring disposi-
tlon yet eopslaE among those who
kpsw him, genial, jovial man, a
klnd friend and a royal neighbor, a
lard worker, a man of excellent hab-
it'' good judgmentand superior bust.
ness ability. He has at times acted
queer since the burning OF the barn
last fall, and had melancholy spells
6pt al the time when James last saw