Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1902-12-25
Committed Suicide at Asylum
Friday by Shooting.
WAS A SHOCKING EVENT
Impaired Health Is Cause Assigned for
the Rash Deed. Inquest Held.
Burial at British Hollow.

James AlO0rSOn, up0I1nU0nU0nG
of Grant county's insane asylum and
county home, committed suicide by
shooting himself Friday at 11:3O a.
m. He had been indisposed for
some time on account of chronic
stomach trouble, and to his i'll
health and the fact that he had at
times Of late been quite respondent
friends attribute the deed of self de-
struction.
Trustees Grimm aid Macarthur of
the institution we're holding a
monthly meeting at the asylum Fri
day. Mr. Anderson had been with
them during portion of their ses-
sion. About II o'clock he retired to
his apartments on the second floor.
A few minutes after, Mrs. Anderson
went to his room and was Mortified
upon entering to discover the body
of her husband stretched upon the
floor by side of the bed. In answer
to her screams attendants fastened
to the room as did also the trustees.
It was discovered that life was ex-
tinct and smoking revolver of a.
calibre on the bed and bullet hole
in the head told the tale of how
death had resulted. A lady attend
ant whose duties are night surveil-
lance in the institution sleeping in
the room directly below was the On
ly person hearing the fatal shot, and
her remembrance of it is quite dim
as she was merely awakened from
sound slumber, and hearing nothing
further slept.
Dist Atty. Brown was summoned
at once, Justice Wheeler was mott
fed and Marshal Budworth sub
poenaed a jury to conduct an in
quest, composed Of Messrs. J. 5.
Wright, G. I'll. Basford, A. G.Knapp,
G. HI Baxter, Harry Barnett and HI.
G. Nathan. After a thorough in
vestigation and examination OF
everyone possessing any knowledge
of the affair the jury returned a
verdict that deceased came to his
death by his own hand while tenn
porarily insane.
Funeral services were held at the
asylum Sunday and large gather
ing of friends saddened by the
event paid their last tribute Of
esteem to the departed. Rev. Geo,
F. Potter officiated. Interment was
made at British Hollow cemetery
beside loved ones gone before. De-
ceased was Mason and the order
had charge of ceremonies at the
grave, delegation being present
from Lancaster and Potosi lodges.
Jas. Anderson was born in Eng
land June Is, 1884, and was thus
sixty eight years of age. When ten
years old he came to America with
his parents and early settled in
Grant county. A wife and two
children by former marriage sur
vive him and a present wife, to
whom he was married in 1878. A
brother also resides in California
Deceased had been in charge of
the county insane and poor: for a
period Of about ten years and his
administration was one denoting
careful management and systematic
execution of the manifold and try
ing duties devolving upon one in
that position. Men fitted for tEis
place are born and not made and it
will be a difficult matter for the
trustees to select one who can Oc-
cupy it with such remarkable effici-
ency.
Of a quiet, transformations de-
meanor he was nevertheless held in
high regard by large circle OF
friends and acquaintance and his
death and the manner in which it
occurred is a great shock to all who
knew him.