Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1902-06-12
OUTSIDE POINT OF VIEW

Sometime ago a New York judge as
tonished and shocked the reading world,
by boldly stating that the so-called
crime of suicide, instead of Invariably
being q crime, might be under certain
circumstances, meritorious and
praiseworthy act. He cited as an IL
Illustrative case, that of a man hopless-
| ly crippled, a certain and sure charge
upon poor relatives. Such q suicides
death was not only u gain to the inn
poverished relations, but n positive
change for the better to the suicide
himself.
This statement from the judge, was
followed or plefaced by some professor
in New England, who took the human
tartan side, and showed it was the
greatest good to the greatest number
for an incurable consumptive, Ito
shuttle off this mortal coil" And occa-
sionally back in the writings and words
of the ancients, the defense of the sui
eide, has been logically and eloquently
advocated.
| What follows will be neither a de-
Tense of nor an attack upon suicide.
Neither on the act or the individual. 1t
will be a true account of the actions of
q number of the best citizens in an
Iowa town, after a suicide occurred.
| Some years ago there lived in this re-
ferred TO town, "one of natures noble
men," A man with the strictest ideas
| concerning morality and honesty. A
! friend of the poor, and helper of his
| relations not as fortunate in money af-
| fairs. For this man by honest dealing
and economy had succeeded in accu-
4 mulating enough to keep him in his
old age" So that at sixty years of age,
| he faced the future with cheerfuiness
and eQuanimity. But man proposes
and God disposes." In other words none
of us know what the future is to bring
into our lives. The first break into the
of his wife. In the common words of
the day. The never seemed to get over
it," Certain it is that the few words he
used referring to his wifes' leaving the
world and himself, only touched the
surface wound. Then he was induced
| 60 advance money for relative to go
into business. This resulted in loss,
and to save the wreck he invested still
more to finally be forced to lose near
| ly all he had accumulated by life time
of saving. Still he paid every dollar he
owed. Then he mortgaged some real
estate for money to live upon, and final
! ly when his last dollar was in sight.
when in his helpless old age, he knew
he would become charge upon the
public. he took big dose of morphine
and went into the sleep that knows no
| awakening. An investigation of his af-
| fairs, showed at the time of his suicide
he had only 500 left. Just enough for
funeral expenses. His pride, his hon
esty if you will, made him provide for
such necessary expenses. Think OF
man dying by his own hand, with such
/ sentiments, the cause. And only the
day before his death, he made a pay
ment on an insurance, policy, to secure
others money, to enable them to enjoy
life. he deprived himself Of All of the
foregoing is q matter of personal
knowledge to the writer, excepting q
few facts derived from trustworthy
sources.
f. Now for the problem, the writer will
/ leave the reader to solve. AS soon as
1 the condition of this man was known
physicians and neighbors and friends
began their work to bring him back tC
life. 1t was not known at this time
whether the evident big dose of NOR
phine was an accident, or possibly the
act of others. After several hours OF
hard, letter written by the old man
was found, and the contents explained
it ALL Then and there the work of re-
suscitation was stopped. He was al
lowed to sleep unmolested. And fol-
four days he slept before death came
There was no suffering, none of the
dramatic features of taking off, the
lamp burned on, till the oil was out
And this is the question, did these mer
of Iowa, who made no efforts to bring
back to a world of pain and trouble, 6
man who desired to leave it, and who
gave the best of reasons for such de-
sire, We're these men acting up to the
strict code of moral ethics. Was there
q duty before them. Were their acts
of omission praiseworty or to be con-
demned Reader what would you de-
ci, Ia, nj M G a