Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1903-01-20
Tragic Affair South Of the
River.
THE YOUNG WOMAN REFUSES TO TALK
Couple Were in Home of J. H. VALLEY,
When Young Man Repaired to An
Upstairs Room and Fired the Fatal
Shot.
From Fridays Daily.

Despondent and weary of life be-
cause the girl of his choice refused to
listen to his wooing and become his
wife, Jesse E. Brooks, 20 years old,
highly respected young man and
student in the Ottumwa Commercial
college, blew his brains out this morn
ing at the home of Mr. and Mrs. J. H.
Valley, lis south Ransom street,
South Ottumwa. AT any rate disap-
pointment in his love for Miss Mollie
Hall, a cousin of Mrs. Valley, is the
reason advanced by the neighbors of
the Valleys, at whose home both of
the principals in the SAD affair resid-
ed. Neither Miss Hall nor Miss wal
ley will assign any reason for the sui
clue. Mrs. Valley is on a visit at
Bloomington, ILL.,, where Miss Halls
home is located.
No Inquest.
Coroner F. w. Mills viewed the re-
mains of the young man this morning
and after investigating the case de-
cided not to hold an inquest, deem
ling it unnecessary. The remains are
being held at the home of Mr.. Valley
| for the present.
Ate Light Breakfast.
| This morning, it is said, Jesse
| Brooks arose at the regular time, but
ate only a very light breakfast After
the meal he left the house and went
| down town for short time. and it is
thought that he bought some bullets.
| When he returned he found Miss Hall
busy washing the breakfast dishes,
and, taking a towel, he helped her by
| drying them. What passed between
the young people at this time is not
known, as they We're the only ones in
the house at the time, and Miss Hall
will not talk about the matter. Mr..
| Valley, who is rural mail carrier,
was at the postoffice after his mail
when the tragedy took place.
Hears a Shot.
| However, the conversation in the
kitchen must have had a very depress-
| ing effect upon young Brooks, for only
a few minutes after he and Miss Hall
separated, the young man going up
stairs to his room, the girls in the
rooms Selow was startled by the sound
of single shot from the direction of
Brooks apartment.
Summons the Neighbors.
| Miss Hall ran out of the house ims
mediately without stopping to invests
gate the cause or result of the shoot
| ing and summoned Mrs. John Brown
living next door to the Valley home
and Mrs. Brown, with others who had
heard the alarm fastened to the Wal
ley residence. At this time Mr.. Wal
ley returned home and being told of
the shooting he and the neighbors
fastened to the young man'sl
room where they beheld sight that
made the blood of the strongest heart
ed among them almost chill.
Died Instantly.
| Lying on the floor in a pool of his
own life's blood was the body of young
Brooks, so quickly transformed from
the figure of a young man in whom
was the prospect of noble man, to
a lifeless mass of flesh from which the
soul had already taken flight, for the
young man died almost instantly. A
CHASTITY bullet wound in his temple
and a revolver lying near the dead
body told the manner in which the sui
eide had been committed.
Left Note.
AS if to free everyone from SUSPECT
on in connection with his death, young
Brooks left a note upon his dresser,
probably written just before he plac-
ed the muz2le of the revolver at his
head and pulled the trigger. On the
note, which had become stained with
: the suicides blood. was written the
confession: Il did this with my own
hand" No word was left accusing
any one of being the cause, direct or
indirect of the rash act. Judging from
indications Brooks had written the
note and left it in plain view immedi-
ately after going to his room from the
kitchen, where he had been engaged
in conversation with Miss Hall; then,
after leaving the few words of self ac-
cusation, he stepped back pace and
placing the gun at his head, fired the
fatal shot
Parents Notified.
As soon as Mr.. Valley was appraised
of the sad event he sent word to the
8 young mans parents, Mr.. and Mrs. j.
B. Brooks, at their home in Pleasant