Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1903-01-20

Prominent Bussey Dung
Man Found Cold In
Death at Home.
is HIS OWN MURDERER
He Committed the Terrible Deed
With a Rifle.
RELATIVES FRUSTRATED WITH GRIEF
RELATIVES FRUSTRATED WITH GRIEF
lnanimate Form Discovered BY Broth
err Lying on the Floor, His sightIess
Eyes Staring at the ceiins-Reason
for Act is Unknown.

Bussey, Jan. 16-(SpeciaD
prone upon the floor in an upper room
of his home in Bussey, his staring,
sightless eyes gazing toward the cell
ing, where bullet from 30-calibre
rife lying at his side had shattered
the plastering after tearing its way
through his body, Carl Allison Whet
zell, son of Mr.. and Mrs. ]. H. Whet-
zell, was found dead late yesterday af-
ternoon by his brother, H. Whetzell.
No definite reason is known for this
action which has come with terrific
shock to the surviving mebbers of
the family, and the citizens of Bussey
and this vicinity. The dead mans i'm
mediate relatives are completely pros
trated with grief over the tragedy the
father having required the attention of
physicians for several hours after re-
ceiving the news of the death of his
SON.
Nothing is known definite as to the
time the tragedy occurred, as Carl
Whetzell had been at home alone dur
ing part of the afternoon and from ap-
pearances life had been extinct for
some time when the body was found
by brother, who reached home from
the store ut o'clock yesterday after
noon.
Was Alone.
During the afternoon Mrs Whetzell
and daughter had been away from
home attending meeting of the La
dies Aid society. AS far as is known
sion of the rifle, and no one is known
4r in, hi, r>f 1,aH
house during the afternoon.
The Tragedy.
From the facts that have thus far
been gathered and the scene as view
ed Immediately after the remains had
been discovered, it is supposed that
Carl Whetzell had suddenly conceived
the idea of ending his life and had
much deliberation. 1t so happened
that Harry Whetzell went to the home
about o'clock, and on going to his
room in the second story, discovered
the lifeless body of his brother upon
the floor within the room.
Used Rifle.
By the side of the PROSTATE form
lay 80 calibre of the Winchester pat
tern. One empty shell was found in
the chamber of the gun and four loads
We're still in the magazine. Passed
through the trigger guard and over
the trigger was a strap about eighteen
inches in length, which had evidently
been fixed by the deceased as means
for accomplishing his purpose.
Pulled Trigger with Foot.
Judging from the scene as viewed by
the Courier correspondent it is proba-
BILE that when everything had been ar
ranged, Carl Whetzell had stood with
his back to the door of the room and,
holding the muzzle of the gun with
his hands, placed it to the pit of his
stomach and pulled the trigger with
his foot
No Powder Burns.
The bullet from the rifle had passed
entirely through the body of the vic
tim and struck the ceiling above, tear
ing away some Of the plaster. 1t is
thought that the muzzle of the gun
had been held so close to the body
that the flash of the discharge must
have entered with it, as no indications
Of powder burns were to be found eth
CT Vi tuS ClOlHlHS VI luS UOuy u Iue
victim.
Turned Partly Around.
The force of the load had evidently
turned the victim around in falling, as
when found the body was facing the
hole made in the ceiling by the bullet.
There had evidently been no struggle
after the shot was fired, as the re-
mains were lying with the arms out
stretched upon the floor and with no
indications of a struggle.
Few Blood Spots.
An investigation of the room dis
closed few blood splotches upon the
wall about eight feet from the floor
aid back of the place where Whetzell
had been standing when the shot was
fired. the blood had evidently been
scattered by the bullet after it had
passed through the body. 1t is suppos.
ed that the bleeding caused by the in.
jury had been internal or that the
blood had been absorbed by his cloth.
ing.
Health Had Been Poor.
For some time Carl Whetzell had
been in poor health, though he had ap
parently been in the best of spirits
No other reason can be assigned as