Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1904-03-26
FARMER SUICIDES.
CHARLES MCGUIRE, DEsPoNpENT
FROM ILLNESS, FIRES TWO
BULLETS INTO LUNGS,
Was IS Years of Age and Had Resided
Near Bladensburg Nearly All His
Life = Children Heard the Fatal
Shots - coroner's Verdict.

LSopolIoSLS OCSouSC VI Ills SuuST.
ings resulting form an extended illness
from consumption, Charles G. Mcclure,
well known farmer residing near
Bladensburg, committed suicide We'd
nesday by shooting himself through the
lungs with revolver. Mr. Mcclure
fired two shots, both bullets passing
through his left lung and died from
his wound few moments afterwards.
The three children of Mr.. Mcclure,
the Oldest ten years of age and the
youngest three years, were playing in
the yard when they heard the fatal
shots. The oldest boy ran into the
house crying 30, papa, what was that
noise!" The father replied, ''That was
nothing, you only heard the stove a
popping. Run out and play" The
children suspected nothing wrong and
returned to the yard to resume their
play and their father was found dead
in his chair about half an hour later
by a neighbor who had come to bor-
row plow. The pistol, a thirty-two cal
lbre self acting gun, was lying on the
floor a few feet away.
Was Premediated.
1t is believed that Mcclure had been
contemplating suicide for some time.
He had been i'll from consumption for
several years, but not confined to his
bed, and Of late had complained of in
tense suffereing. Only the day before
he told his mother that he had lost
all hope, that he suffered intense pain
and that the nights seemed never end
ing. He expressed the hope that it
would soon be all over.
Wednesday morning he sent his
boy to Bladensburg, a distance of about
a mile and half to purchase some
cartridges stating that he wished to
shoot rabbits as they som etimes came
near the house. Yesterday afternoon
about 1 o'clock Mrs. Mcclure left the
house to go to the home of Mr.. Nc
Cures parents, Mr.. and Mrs. H. H. Nc
CURE, who lived short distance away.
1t was shortly after Mrs. MCGUIRE left
home that the boy heard the shots
fired.
Found BY Neghbor.
w. G. Smith, neighbor, came to
the Mcclure home about 2 o'clock for
the purpose of borrowing a plow The
children were playing in the yard and
they told him that Mrs. Mcclure was
away from home. Knowing that Mr.. Nc.
CURE was i'll Smith stepped into the
house and saw the man sitting in the
chair with the blood running from his
lips.
Smith told the coroner's jury that,he
at first thought that Mcclure was suf-
fering from hemorrhage resulting
from consumption, until he noticed the
revolver lying on the floor and looking
closer saw two bullet wounds in his
left side and powder stains on his
shirt. He rang the dinner bell to
arouse the neighbors and the wife and
parents of Mr.. MCGUIRE were at once
notified
Was Highly Esteemed.
Mcclure was born and raised in Wa.
pello county. He is the son of H. H.
Mcclure, one of the early residents
of the county, and lived on
a farm near Bladensburg all his
life. He was highly esteemed by his
friends and neighbors. He was IS
years of age and he is survived by his
wife, Mrs. Jennie Mcclure, and three
children, and his father and mother.
Coroner's Verdict.
Acting Coroner O. l.. Campbell was
notified and a jury was impaneled fol
the purpose of conducting an inquest
The jurors were j. M. J. Allen Charles
Sands and Alfred Yeager. After hear
| ing the testimony Of the different wit
nesses the coroner's jury returned q
verdict to the effect that Mr. Mcclure
came to his death by two bullet wounds
inflicted by himself during temporary
| fit of insanity resulting from limo
and serious illness.