Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1902-03-31
IOWA STUDENT SUICIDE
Howard r. Miller, Of Keokuk.
Found Dead in Lincoln
Park. Chicago.
Shot Himself With a Revolver
Sunday Morning..Was
Probably Insane.
Poems on Subject Of Death Found
in His Pockets..A
Strange Case.
Poems on Subject Of Death Found
pecial to Times-Republican.

Keo,kuk, March 31-A dispatch from
| ard r. Miller, of Keokult, Ia, a nephew
of Rear Admiral Miller, of the United
States navy, and son of the assistant
postmaster of Keokuk, committed sui
eide by shooting himself thru the heart
in Lincoln park early Sunday morning
The young man was member of the
class of 1903 of the Keokuk Medical
college. Temporary mental derange-
ment, caused by overwork and worry
over approaching examinations. is be-
lieved to have caused him to take his
life. He had been missing from Keokuls
since last Thursday and efforts to trace
him had proved futile.
His body was discovered yesterday
forenoon in Lincoln pork by John
Hardy, assistant park superintendent.
The remains were half covered with
drifted snow. In one hand was clutched
revolver and in the youths pockets
were found scrubbed verses telling of
it's rewards.
Mystery surrounds his taking away,
however. 1t is believed the young man
must have been deranged. His father,
Henry r, Miller. who is assistant post
master at Keokuk, could explain the
suicide of his boy in no other way. He
believed, as do the friends, that Miller
had been studying too hard of late. 1t
was nearly time for final examina-
tions, and the young man is said to
have been trying to maintain high
place in his class. This entailed much
reading and research, not to speak of
hospital work and attendance at lee
lures.
Only s cents In mony was found in
Millel's pockets. A leather pocket case.
such AS physicians carry, safety razor
and a number of cartridges were dis
led to the Identification; one card
showed Miller's high standing at COL
lege, the marks ranging from 80 to 100
for each study, with three marks of
100. Miller wore no overcoat.
1t i.s assumed that in his temporary
mental alteration he wandered into the
park, and as night fell the sleet and
snow blinded him and he lost his way.
Chicago, March 31.-Miller, the Iowa
student had evidently killed himself
shortly before daylight. No one heard
the shooting, as far as is known, and it
was not until o'clock that his body
was found near the Lake Shore drive,
just east of the Lincoln monument. 1t
was covered with snow. In the right
hand was clutched a revolver. Two
note books found In the pockets were
filled with quotations from noted
writer's, from which 1t was judged the
suicide had been devoting particular
attention to thoughts of death.
A quatrain from the "Rubaiyat" of
Omar Khayyam, scrubbed on the fly
leaf OF one of these books, appeared to
have been written by Miller shortly be-
fore his death to show that belief in
the Immortality of the soul had in
spired his suicide. His choice of East
er Sunday as the day of his death was
considered indicative of his faith in a
resurrection.
Writings SO full of wisdom as those
of Omar have never met was an in
scription Miller had scrawled at the
top of the page, and then followed the
quatrein:
Why, If the Soul can fling the dust
aside,
And naked on the air of Heaven ride,
Vert not shame-wer't not shame
for him
In this clay carcass longer to abide?
Miller had labeled the volume in
which this quotation was found, Sc
lectiorls from Favorite Poets" Among
its contents, Contempt Of Death" by
Marcus Aurelius; Despair" by Eliz-
abeth Rowe, and Destiny" by Whit
tier. appeared to have been the favor
ties o.. the young man.
A volume of Emerson also was found
in Miller's pocket. A large number of
passages, most of which pertained to
death and future existence, had been
underlined and almost invariably Miller
had written in the margin opposite
these: Read again, it will repay
study