Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1903-06-17

niS BRAINS WIN Sheb upn-toTDn' ) July
Pronoances Him Insane Contemplated Sui
eiially While at the County Jail.
The last act in one Of the strange trage-
dies Of state knoy edge, was enacted at
the home of William Tippetts, near We
tory, on Sunday night last, when the
man charged with the murder of IRA
Shrake, took his own life Ib il one of
the problems confronting mankind that
a man who has just been given resi- ite
from incarceration, and one who had
striven so bard to gain his liberty,
should deliberately commit self destruc
tion, There is but one answer TO the
query and that OF insanity of which
there is no doubt,
On Wednesday afternoon last Will.
lam Tippetts was released from the
county jaIl by the good offices of his
neighbors and frienos, who provided the
bait necessary to secure his freedom till
the December term of court should deal
with him on charge Of numbering Ira
Shrake on the steamer Mauser at Tip
petts landing on April 18th, The pris-
oner appeared overjoyed at gaining his
freedom, and so anxious was he to be
again at his home and business that he
walked from Viroqua to Victory that
night after the supper hour, being ac-
c9mpanied by his brother in-law, Frank
Reiss, his wife and sister riding in the
conveyance they had here. AS it was
believed he would do, Tippetts set earn
estly about his business affairs and kept
busy arranging wood to fl rnish the nu
merous boat lines which had contracts
with him. But during the trip home
m he. dow ra{sf 80 hot fr1ko Cd
till death, he was closely watched by
his relatives for positive signs of insan-
ity were developing, and they feared
that he would take his life In fact SO
we'll convinced were they in this belief
that they had advised together concern
ing an official examination of his mental
condition. The only reason application
was not made was the fear that it might
be charged that they were endeavoring
to evade the consequences of the crime
and the law by play of insanity. In
fact Tippetts was mentally unbalanced
before being released from the Jail, and
had told his.sister, Mrs. Reiss, that he
wished he were dead; that he could not
stand the terrible persecution the La
Crosse papers had inflicted upon him
and his kin. He had also implored his
wife to secure poison for him the Sun
day before his liberation. The families,
or some member of them, had been con-
stantly with him after his arrival home,
and in fact the sisters and brother-in-
law remained at Tippetts home nights,
that they might be ready in case of
need. They had secreted any and all
weapons that he might possibly avail
himself of in case he should attempt
self-destruction. That Tippetts had
planned suicide is positive. His shot
gun hsa been borrowed by his hired
m@h, Ernie Shesler, some weeks ago.
Since his return home, and unknown to
his relatives, Tippetts had gotten the
gun from Shesler and secreted it,
Sunday night the families retired at
the Tippetts home about ten o'clock.
Just before midnight the whistle of
steamboat gave Tlppetts the pretex for
leaving his home. He dressed told his
wife that he had some business with the
officers Of the Cowles steamer, left the
house The sisters We're aroused by the
wife, but before they were able to real
ize that something might happen the re-
port of q gun alarmed them, the tragedy
was over Tippetts had gone direct to
his launch at the landing in front of his
premises, and there his body was found
with his brains blown out. He had
placed the butt of the gun on the edge
Of the boat securely held the muzzle to
his blind eye with one hand and with
the other had pushed the trigger of the
weapon, and a human life went out,
William Tippetts was freed from world
ly anguish. Only one ba1 rel of the gun
had been discharged. The whole back
part Of bis skull was blown away and
the head was practically empty.
Authorities were telephoned for and
District Attorney Bennett, Sheriff Sever
son, Coroner Dunlap. DR.. Surenson and
Miss Drew, atenographer, started for the
scene Of the tragedy early Monday
morning. On official investigation they
| found the conditions about as described
above.
Coroner Dunlap summoned the fol-
lowing named gentlemen members of
the jury Burton Clements l.. b.
Waller w. L. Riley, J. P. Franzini,
James Conkiin, Jas. Miller. After
heg ring the evidence of witnesses and
view Of surrounding circumstances the
jurymen were of one mind that the
said William Tippetts came to his death
~ means Of self-inhicted gun-shot
wound while mentally deranged. :"
The funeral of William Tippetts took
| place at the home where he was born
and always resided, on Tuesday fore
! noon burial in the cemetery near Vic
tory. A large gathering of neighbors
and friends was present, and it was in
deed sad assemblage. The deceased
was forty yfour years of age. He was
known by everyone in the neighbor-
hood as an unusually industrious, gen
erons and obliging man. He was one
who attended strictly to his own affairs,
and by these rules of life had accumu.
lated property which he had said he
desired TO use for the comfort of him
self and kindred in the years TO come
A hot temper, and under the excite
ment OF the moment, he was goaded TO
the act that brought his undoing A
less conscientious man could have with
stood the ordeal through which he
passed and not wreck ham mentally.
He believed as do those familiar with
| the crime for which he was to answer,
that he must suffer at least term of
! state confinement for his deed. de
! pleaded from the first that he could not
stand the mental strain although he
| possessed the physique Of giant. But
/ mis- mental trial came sooner than he
| anticipated, and the story is written.
| For the wife and sisters who survive
| the CENSOR and community have sim
cere charity and sorrow. There was
nothing in the lite Of the husband and
| brother but goodness to them. They
appreciated his virtue and big-hearted
! ness and deplore, as he did, the act that
ruined his life and caused the death of
]