Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1903-12-11
SUICIDE OF 4
C0LFAX BANKER
Geo. D. Wood Shot Himself
Almost in the Presence
of Two Friends.
HIS MOTIVE is "A HIDDEN ONE.
No Was interested In Seven Solvent
Financial Institutions in lowa-Had
Worried About His Health. But
Carefully Planned Suicide.

CoIfax. Dec. 5.--Calling his two
most intimate friends to his home and
explaining that he felt his mind weak,
ening under the burden Of business
cares, George D. Wood. cashier OF the
Bank OF Colfax and interested in four
other like institutions, yesterday morn
Ing drew revolver and shot himself
In the middle Of the forehead. He
expired Immediately.
While no one had ever suspected
any such contemplation frequent
events now point to the fact that the
tragic end come only after the most
deliberate consideration. Thursday
he sent for his closest friends, +. A.
Penquite. with whom he has been in
terested in the hardware business, and
John Maine, who was his partner in
the stock business, to come to his
home. Mr.. Maine was in Chicago and
the appointment could not be kept.
Again yesterday morning he sent for
them and they went together TO his
home. Thursday he asked his son
where his revolver was. When ask.
ed what he wished OF 1t he responded
he only wanted to have it 80 he
knew where 1t was.
Calmly citing In an easy chair MIR.
Wood explained to his friends that he
has been IL. fc-- some weeks. Hs
regretted that he felt so. but said he
could no longer bear the burdens he
he had in the past. When he walked
he said the base OF his brain hurt him.
For three-Quarters of an hour they
talked and the two friends tried to
cheer him. He joked with them,
but said lie felt he was all gone to
pieces. Mr.. Maine made q move to
retire when Mr.. Wood asked him to
wait q minute as he wished to go to
the bathn ON. AS he went through the
adjoining room he picked up a revolt
yer and slemming the bathroom door
he pressed the cold steel barrel
against his forehead and fired. The
report attracted the friends and they
rushed TO the room. Throwing open
the door they beheld the financier ly-
ing on his back with an ugly wound
in his head and blood gushing forth.
Mrs. Wood, who with her daughter
was upstairs, rushed below, but not
lefore the friends had time to close
the door end keep her from viewing
the awful scene.
"he domestic relations OF Mr.. and
Mrs. Wood have been most pleasant
and 1t is believed he purposely called
mis- friends to his side to be witness
D his last act and give out to the
world there was 10 foul play.
Des Moines, Dec. THE State
Savings bank of Baxter closed It's
doors temporarily yesterday. upon rel
cefpt Of the news of the suicide OF
George d. Wood, cashier OF the bank
or COlfax. George Wood, with his
uncle Alex. Wood, was large stock.
holder in the Baxter bank. The Bax-
ter bank also had q deposit, amount
not known, in the Colfax bank.
The deposit Of savings bank funds
in private banks is not countenanced
by the law, but the fact that Mr.. Wood
was a large stakeholder in the Baxter
concern probably made 1t very diff
cult for the Baxter concern to turn
him down. About half of the stock
of the Baxter concern was owned by
Wood and his uncle.
According to the Bankers Encyclo-
pedia the name Of George D. Wood
appears in the following bank direc-
tories:
Bank Of Ira: private; Geo. D. Wood,
president: Alex. Wood, v!ce-presi.
dent; Chas. 8. Weston, cashier.
City Bank Of Mitchellville:: private:
Geo. D. Wood. president; Peter Mil
Ter, vice-presicent: E. B. Trouklin,
cashier.
State Savings Bank OF Baxter; capt
tai $4,000; Geo. D. Wood, president;
Fred Hager, yice-president; r. L. Ar.
mold, cashier.
Bank of State Center: capital, $780,
900: Geo. d. Wood, president; w. N.
Glibe-t, vice-president; o. F. Ecklund,
cashier.
Bank Of Colfax; capital, $4,000;
Alex. Witmrr. president; Geo. D.
Wood, vics-president; A. w. Frey,
cashier.
Bank of Colfax; capital, $4,000:
Alex. Wood. president; Geo. D. Wood,
cashier