Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1903-01-08
ENDED LIFE WITH BULLET
F. {. M0RErS SHOCKING DEED FRIDAY
While in Bed he Shot Himself, the Bullet
Entering His hiouth-Despondency
Believed to be the Cause
There comes a tinse to every mortal being.
Nhat.eT his station or his lot in life.

Believed TO De the cause
There comes a tiIse to every mortal being.
What'er his station or his lot in life.
1 When his sad soul yearns for final freeing
! From all this Earring and unceasing strife.
The suicide of Francis E. Morey
which occurred Friday morning, Jan.
End. 1905, at seven O'Clock in the
morning was very sad affair. Just
what caused him to commit the act no
one really knows. 1t is generally be-
lieved that he was respondent from
unsuccessful business ventures. yet no
one had any reason to believe that
they were of such magnitude as to
drive him to this act. He is perhaps
more to be pitied than blamed. and
We are not in a position to judge of
his motive except that it is sad end
ing to what might otherwise have
been d successful and happy life. He
came to Grand Rapids in August 1902,
an entire stranger aud embarked in
the business of shipping hay. He had
presses at Rudolph, VeSper and Bah
cock. He also did some real estate
business and it was generally supposed
that he was doing Furnishing bust.
ness, In November last lie was
married to Miss Helen Dexter, of
Edgerton, Wis, an accomplished
young lady who had been teacher in
the public schools Of that city. He
and his bride came to this city under
the most favorable circumstances and
proceeded to house keeping in the
Dixon House annex, where it was sup
posed they were living very happy
life. While lying in bed aside of his
wife on this fatal morning, he took
his life by shooting himself with re.
volver. Her testimony given at the
inquest in regard to how her huS
band committed suicide, is as follows
Mrs. Morey's Testimony.
The court. Mrs. Morey, go on and
state to the jury just what happened.
The first thing of which was con.
scious this morning was the shot.
was asleep at the time and thought
something had exploded and turned
over and asked Mr.. Morey what tina
was and did not get an answer. ARC
then l asked him again and raised III
and looked over and he was swallow
ing fast, l think it was blood, and
saw something on the pillow and it al
flashed oyer me at once in genera
way and l got UP and threw on his
put his OverCOat arOund me and went
over to the hotel and spoke to old Mr.
Dixon and Mr.. Tutt1e and they called
the doctor. who l believe is in the ho-
tel, and came over to the house. This
is as far as know.
Q. Did you smell anything? 1 could
smell the gun powder. l realized that
it was something that had been fired
Were you in bed with him? Yes.
They found the revolver, of course,
after they came? Yes, after they
cleared the blood away.
Where did they find it? 1 do not
know just where they found it or wher
they found it.
Did you know whether he had a re-
vo1ver with him in the evening?
did not know there was such a weapon
in the house.
What kind of an evening did you
spend? Did you visit with him before
retiring? We were both reading and
then he laid down on the couch and
slept, believe.
During the day did you have any
talk about his business or anything
else? No sir.
Anything during the week about
his business? No, nothing.
You knew of some of his business he
transacted during the last month
Yes sir. 1 knew he was very de.
pressed, but I thought yesterday he
was feeling in better spirits. That
was the impression I had.
You did not notice anything strange
in the last few days? Nothing more
than usual; only he was very depress-
ed. I certainly did not notice any.
thing strange yesterday.
Did anybody call on him in the last
two days? Not the last two days tc
my knowledge.
Did you have your shoes on when
you went over to the hotel? 1 pat on
some bedroom slippers.
May l ask, was he restless during
the night? can't tell you.
You slept we'll? Yes.
And the first thing you knew was
the report Yes.
A jury was i1npanelled by Justice B.
L. Brown for the purpose of throwing
some light on the tragedy and the fol.
lowing was elicited:
DR.. Waters Testimony.
DR.. Waters, who was called to at
tend the man Immediately after the
shooting, was then called and testi-
fed as follows:
I was called this morning, should
judge, about ten minutes after seven.
After dressing l looked at my watch
and it was a quarter after seven, and
went over to the house and Mr.. John
Dixon showed me into room. There
was no one there but Charlie Dixon
He was at the head of the bed taking
care of Mr.. Morey and went in there.
| There was quite a pool of blood on
the bed and he was bleeding quite
heavily and supposed he was having
a hemorrhage from his lungs or stom-
ach. There was quite a lot of blood
on his nostri1s and mouth and I wiped
that away and felt of his pulse and
threw back the covers and found the
revolver there in bed with his fingers
relaxed and the revolver partly free
from his hand. His fingers were not
c1asped tightly at all.
Q. Was Mrs. Morey there at that
| time? l don't know where she was.
I presume she was in the kitchen.
| When I went back into the sitting
room she was there.
How long did he live? From the
| time l first saw him until he died was,
| should judge, about half to three
quarters of an hour.
Was the revolver under the cloth
ing? Yes sir, the clothing was pulled
up tight to his throat. 1 suppose that
had been done by somebody else, may
be charlie Dixon.
Who was the first one saw him?