Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1900-03-31
LORE AFFORDS DEATH
Some Further Particulars of His
Useful Life and Its Tragic
Ending.
An Incurable Stomach Trouble Made
Him a Victim to Suicidal
Mania.
Was a Successful Lawyer and Poll
tician and Served in Civil
War
special to Times-R Republican.


Ter prints the following additional par
ticulars regarding the tragic death of
Hon. Lore Afford, whose suicide was
in these columns yesterday:
.Burdened by years of sickness
sickness which left him strong enough
to pursue to a certain extent the duties
tinual depression to his spirits, and a
prey upon his mind. he sought death
by his own hand. The tragedy was en-
acted in the bath room at his home on
Lafayette street, and the means used
to accomplish the end was a razor. with
which he cut a great cash in his throat,
,severing the carotid artery. Death
must have ensued in a few moments,
but he was in the room thirty minutes
before the discovery of his fatal act
was made.
For some time past. it is said. Mr..
Afford had been unusually depressed.
but he appeared regularly at his office
and attended to the routine of his work
with the same methodical spirit that
has always characterized his duties in
his profession. He had not been sleep
ing as Well as usual, and lately had be-
gun the practice of taking warm baths
pust before retiring, having been con-
WINGED by the reading of some articles
on the subject that such practice
would tend to induce rest and peaceful
repose. Thursday evening he spent at
home, as was his custom, but seemed
to be absorbed most of the evening with
some problem. He retired to his room
in the upper part of the house at an
early hour. About 3 o'clock in the
morning Mrs. Afford heard her husband
groanlng and arose and went upstairs
To his room. She found him awake and
to her inquiries he replied that he felt
restless and had not slept Very we'll.
After few moments conversation he
said he was feeling much better and
urged his wife to go back to her rest,
saying he believed he could enjoy a
good sleep. Nothing more was heard
from his room until a few moments be-
fore I o clock in the morning. AT that
time Mrs Afford heard him moving
about thru the upstairs rooms. He
was lowering the windows in the vari-
Gus rooms, as was his morning custom.
A moment later she heard him descend
the stairs and enter the bath room,
first going to a room at one side of the
| hall, where he usually arranged his
| morning toilet and shaved himself on
alternate mornings. He may have en-
1 tered the room with the intention OF
| shaving, when the sight of the razor
4 brought him to The sudden alteration
/ which led TO his death. He walked from
! this room to the bath room, closed the
door. but did not lock it. The discov
cry of the body and the surrounding
evidence give testimony that he turned
1.-The faucet in the bath tub. allowing the
water to run for short time and then
shut it Off Then he must have leaned
oyer the tub and slashed the keen edge
! of the razor across his throat. The ter
| rible tragedy which had thus been en-
acted was not discovered until 1880
O'Clock, when Mrs Afford Went to the
room. Wondering what kept MIR. Afford
! there SO long.
Physicians We're summoned. but they
Ecould bring no relief. Death had result
Led some time before the discovery was
4 made.
The news of the death of Mr.. Afford
/ spread rapidly thruout the city and
/ occa stoned CONSERVATION and grief ev
erywhere. Many of his Intimate friends
/ knew of his physical condition. knew
| that for years he had not been We'll,
/ knew that he suffered at times untold
| agony from arrangement of the
/ stomach which could be allayed for the
/ time being. but could not be perman-
! entity relieved. To these friends the
/ cause Of the act committed was appar-
! ent The disease had preyed upon his
/ mind 50 long as to temporarily Overhaul
1 ance reason. Expressions of great re-
/ greet and the sincersst and most heart
Ifslt sympathy for the members of the
/ bereaved family We're heard wherever
/ the tragedy was discussed. aud every
| where the kindst and most sorrowing
expressions were heard for the loss tc
the community of one of its oldest. most
prominent and highly respected citizens
MIR. Afford Mas lnorv than g. yedrs .:
age He was born March s. 1888 at tbs
town of Hope. in the state of Maine. His
early life was spent in his native towt
with his parents, and when quite q
young man he decided to adopt the law
as a profession.
At the close of an honorable and nota
TO come to the west FOR the practice O
! flis profession. He located in Waterloo
in the spring of 1866. and began his &C
4 tive work at the bar here In shor
time he formed a partnership with j. c
Elwell. and the firm was known as AL
! ford & Elwell and did large business
The partnership continued until 1850
Then Mr.. Afford practiced by h;msel
! for some time, but in 1881 he entered
i into partnership with j. c. Gates ant
the firm has had d law office over TIL,
First National bank for several years
/ AS an attorney Mr.. Afford stood at tn,
head of the profession. He was grea
worker, a man who put his whole sou
4 into any undertaking, and from the tim
i a case was intrusted to his care until i
was finally disposed of it had the hes
efforts he could possibly bestow on ii
He made his clients cause his own, AM
fought for the triumph of the cause h
4 was engaged in with unrelenting vigor
He was always fair and just in his deal
ings with the opposing counsel and new
er sought to take undue advantage II
the course of the preparation or prose
cution of a cause.
In 1878 Mr. Afford was elected
! member of the Iowa legislature fror
Blackhawk county and he served tn
people of this district SO faithfully an
we'll that ne was re-nomina ted by tn
republicans and re-elected in 1880. a