The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1902-09-28
JOHN F, SHORES
TAKES HIS own LIFE
Fired a Winchester Riffs Ball
Into His Brain.
WHILE FAMILY AT BREAKFAST
He Had Been in Bad Physical and Men.
tai Condition for Some Time, and
Talked of Killing Himself at
Several Times Before.
tsnecta, Dispatch to The Times,

tSneclal DlSpatCQ TO Inc ilEeS.J
CARTERSV1LLE, VA. Sept. ZI.-A1T.
John F. Shores shot and instantly killed
himself in the porch of his home, Glen
tivar. a few miles out fro mCartersvliie,
this morning at o'clock The body lies
where 1t fell awaiting the arrival of
magistrate for an inquest This whole
community is greatly shocked and dis
tressed at the suicide
Glentivar is one OF the richest farms in
this section of country. and Mr.. Shores
was a highly respected and prosperous
farmer. For many years Mr.. Shores has
shown signs of falling health, and life
was not the pleasure to him that it used
to be.
For several months now he has been
a physica! wreck constantly attended by
his family and friends, and with every
possible comfort. For months he has de-
SPARED OF his life, and has been great
sufferer; the medicines given to produce
quiet and sleep only caused him to be
moro restless and wakeful.
FEARED TO SLEEP.
He would not allow himself to sleep
for fear he would not wake again, having
a horror OF dying.
Lately. however, he has expressed much
resignation. and has seemed more com
Portable. This morning about O'Clock
he called .-.s daughter to his bedside. and
begged for medicine to make him sleep;
satd he felt restless and wide awake.
The daughter gave him the medicine and
offered to stay and talk with him until
he felt sleepy. but he made her go back
to bed, as the light would keep him
awake.
About an hour later when the members
OF the family We're up and starting about
their morning work, again the daughter
.tI,z
snoring, and seemed to be sleeping per-
fectly- She drew in the shutters TO dark
en- the room, hoping that a long morning
nap would greatly refresh him.
While the family sat around the break
fast table the report of a gun was heard.
and fearing the worst. the family rushed
out to find the father and husband a
naugled corpse upon tho floor. With a
single-barTsiled Winchester rifle he had
shot himself through the head. The back
of his head was shot Off, and his brains
were scattered upon the floor and wall.
TALKED OF SUICIDE.
Mr. Shores had talked of killing him
self. He said he knew he would never
be we'll again. and would only be care
and worry to his family
Mr. Shores has been in falling health
for some time. Recently he told his fam
ily that they had all been just as kind.
attentive and patient with him as could
be. but they could not stand it all the
time. His wife and children begged and
plead with him 70 do no such thing: that
every service rendered him was a pleas
ure. The guns We're all taken upstairs
and hidden by his daughter. but yester-
day she noticed one had been hidden away
under a lounge downstairs. Thinking her
brother had put it there to hide it from
her fathar be> 1af
THE KILLING
The occurrences Of this morning reveal
the probable fact that Mr. Shores had
crept upstairs for the gun and had hid
den it under the lounge. had feigned sleep
to avoid suspicion and when all were
busiIy engaged elsewhere had crept out
OF bed and put an end to his life.
Mr.. Shores was soldier in the Com
federate army; a member of the Cumber
land troop. and was at one time a courier
for General Lee.
Mr.. Shores leaves wife and four chill
dren The funeral will be conducted from
the house tomorrow afternoon at half
past three O'Clock.