Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1899-11-11
THE SUICIDE Of Wider
Ill Health Causes Young Farmer
Near Webster City to Take
HIS Life.
Worry Over His Condition Drives
Him Into Temporary Insanity
Uses Rifle.
Duluth & New Orleans Railway
Forfeits Right Of Way
Tax.
ecial to Times Republican.

special TO 1meS-ReDuDIlCan.
Webster City, Nov. 11.-William o.
Wilder, farmer % years of age, sui
cided at his farm home, one mile north
of this city, yesterday afternoon. He
had been in declining health for
couple of years, but for several months
had been unable to work, and being
naturally of an energetic disposition
worried a great deal on account of be-
ing compelled to be idle. Yesterday
mother found him with gun in his
hands, and on inquiring of him what
he was going to do with it he replied
that he was going to use it. Being fur
ther pressed by his parent he informed
her that there was no use of his trying
to live, for there was no hope Mrs
Wilder talked with him for few min
utes. thinking that he was mentally
unbalanced for the time being only,
and after a little persuasion on her part
he handed the gun to her, and she took
| 1T and hid it in the pantry. Along
towards noon she left for town to Sc
cure medicine for her son, and his last
words to her We're: do not stay" Be-
fore leaving Mrs. Wilder warned the
hired girl to keep close watch of Will,
for she thought he had acted queerly.
The girl had begun preparations for
dinner When the sick man again en-
tered the room with the gun in his
hands, and being too frightened to
speak to him she rushed from the house
to call her mother and sister, who re-
side but short distance from the
Wilder home. When the three women
returned they stepped to the bedroom
and found Will lying across the bed
dead, the rifle lying at his feet on the
floor. They made hasty examination
and found his heart was still beating,
but he did not move and life was soon
extinct. A hole in the right ear showed
/ where the leaden messenger of death
had entered, and on the opposite side
it protruded slightly through the skin.
MIR. Wilder was a young man who was
4 widely known from having been en-
ployed for many years in a leading dry
goods store in the city, which position
he was obliged to resign on account OF
4 impaired health. About two years age
Il he moved to the farm with his widowed
mother, and was compelled to give w
work short time ago. He has been 8
. member of the Congregational church
since early boyhood, and his death i.
generally mourned. The coroner's jur.
returned verdict of death caused by
gun in his own hands while in fit o
!, temporary insanity.
The dead man before suiciding wrot
three letters, the first to his mother
which read as follows:
Dear Mother: / bid you fond fare
!, well. 1 lived happy with you while w
were together on the farm. You hav
been the best friend anybody coult
have, and would not leave you i
. there was any help. but there is no US
. to struggle any longer. and we vii
meet in a better world where there
! peace for all.
) Your loving son WILL"
/ The second was to his brother Fred
/ who is employed by the Northwestern
Railroad Company at Alton as tele
. graph operator. 1t read:
Dear Brother: You have been a tru
( brother to me; better one never livet
q and 1 hope you will prosper and b
q happy. A last farewell to you. woul
/. like to see you once more, but we wi
h meet in a better place.
Q your brother WILL
n The last was to his sister and wa
: brief, simply bidding her goodbye.