Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1905-05-23
Holds INQUEST
N WILBUR CASE
Coroner Nichols Concludes That
Inquest Is Advisable and
Impanels Jury
NO DOUBT AS TO SUICIDE
In View Of Business Affairs Of the De-
ceased, However, Official Declaration
of Death Will be Made = Relatives
of Dead Man Arrive, but Can Shed
No Light as to Cause.


the deceased. and in order to make
an official declaration of the manner
Of the death Of e. III. Wilbur Coroner
III. H. Nichols determined upon an in
quest, which was held this afternoon
at 1 o'clock at the sheriff's office. "A
jury, composed of E. Il. Austin, Sanford
Hartwell and Lloyd r. Maxwell, was
impaneled. There is no doubt as to the
fact that Wilbur suicided, and about
all there is for the jury to do is to re-
turn verdict in accordance with the
facts as are already known.
After hearing a little evidence in
the case the jury returned a verdict to
the effect that the deceased had COM
mitted suicide by hanging.
Relatives of the dead man, who ar
rived in the city Monday evening. can
shed NO further light on the cause of
his act. Why Wilbur should have
been respondent, none of them can
tell, altho Harry Jacobs, of Waterloo,
a brother-in-law, says that he was of
Respondent and morose disposition,
and had always been SO, during the
nine years he has known him.
S. o. Richter and John O'Brien, of
Des Moines, brothers-in-law Of Mr..
Wilbur, reached the city Monday eve
ming, ELS did also Mr.. Jacobs, Of Wat
erloo, and Mrs. Wilbur, her father,
Benjamin Jacobs, and sister, Miss Car
RE Jacobs, who arrived from Elvas-
ton, Ill.
Sent No Word to Wife.
Mrs. Wilbur, altho she received a
letter from her husband at s o'clock
Monday evening, or just before she
left Elvaston for Marshalltown, in re-
Spouse to the telegram announcing his
DEATH the letter stated nothing what
ever Indicating his intention to end his
life. The letter, which was mailed
here Sunday afternoon, contained cash
in the sum of 500, draft, and in
surance and other valuable papers. A
letter that was written by Mr.. Will
bur to his wife last Friday but which
was delayed in reaching her until Mon
day, was of the most loving and af-
fectionate nature, and apparently writ
ten by the man while in a happy frame
of mind. In the letter he said that he
would leave Marshalltown in a few
days for Elvaston, to accompany his
wife and baby son to this city. Here
he had announced his intention of
leaving for Elvaston Monday.
Acted Despondent at Meals.
Since he came to the city from
Grundy Center Mr.. Wilbur has been
taking his meals at the Dodge House.
H.. y, 1>,,{
gave it up after supper Saturday eve
ming, saying that he would fix up a
room at his store, and occupy it until
his wife came. While they did not
know Mr.. Wilbur well enough to real
ize how he might act while in a nat
ural frame of mind, those at the Dodge
House noticed that he was Respondent,
and appeared n1orose. He would sit
at the table with his head in his hand,
his elbow resting upon the table. Of
tentimes his attention would have to
be attracted by the waitress that she
might receive his order. Mr.. Wilbur
was at the Dodge House for lunch Sun
day evening, shortly after six o'clock.
1t is thought he must have gone to
store almost directly from lunch, and
swung himself into eternity.
To City Clerk Derby, who had met
Mr. Wilbur thru his official connection
with the session of the Grundy Center
Presbyterian church, of which he das
a member Mr. Wilbur said Saturday
that if his business proved a success
he would buy residence property in
another year Mr. Wilbur told Mr..
Derby that he expected to leave for
Elvaston the first of the week, to get
his wife and son and bring them to
this city, .
Thinks Temporary Insanity.
Mr.. Harry Jacobs, brother-in-law OF
the deceased, says he has not the least
surnlise as to why Wilbur should have
ended his life, and he believes that
temporary insanity was responsible.
What should have caused this, how
ever, he is unable to say. His domes-
tic relations We're of the most pleas
ant nature, Mr.. Jacobs says; he was in
good health, and had nothing to worry
him in that regard; and he was very
we'll to do financially. He had paid
cash for his business, ,$2,375, and had
money in the bank to his credit.
Highly Esteemed at Grundy Center.
Word to the T.-R. from Grundy
Center today tells of the shock that
was caused by the announcement OF
the suicide in the T.-R. Mr.. Wilbur
was highly esteemed there, and had
many friends made during his twelve
years residence. While he had had
business reverses, in the failure of Ja-
cobs & Co, he had not appeared to be
discoura ged, and only wound up the
affairs of the company, as receiver,
ten days ago. Mr.. Wilbur was an ell
der in the Presbyterian church at
Grundy Center and had been superin-
tendent of the Sunday school.
Burial In Des Mones.
The funeral of Mr.. Wilbur will be
held from the home of the deceased's
sister Mrs. Richter, att Des Moines,
Wednesday afternoon, Rev. E. E. Has
tings pastor of the Presbyterian
church, officiating. The body was re-
moved from the undertaking parlors of
Wilbur &, Sons this morning to the
home of Mr.. and Mrs. w. j. Head, 7os
West Church street. Mr. Richter and
Mr.. O'Brien went to Des Moines 10
make arrangements for the funeral.
and the body left at 1880 this after
noon, over the Great Western, in
charge of Mrs. Wilbur, her father and
brother, Messrs. Benjamin and Harry
Jacobs, and sister, Miss Carrie ia
coha