Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1905-12-29
BRATTLEBOR0 LOCAL NEWS
ARCHITECTS SAD END.
Suicide Of Ned A. Piummer, Who De-
signed Important Business and Resi-
Dental Buildings Here.

signed Important Business and Resi-
dental Buildings Here.
Ned A. Plummer a. the well known
architect, died in a tragic way Friday
afternoon, death resulting instantly no
doubt for a self-inhicted bullet wound
over the right temple. Mr.. Plummer and
his brother-in law, Henry b. Pitman,
returned from a walk about $3.50 o'clock
and Mr.. and Mrs. Pitman then started
for walk, leaving Mr.. Plummer alone
in his apartments over the Vermont
Savings bank. When Mr. and Mrs. Pit
man returned an hour later they found
a note in the kitchen, signed by Mr..
Plummer, stating that they would find
him In the front room up stairs, that the
cause of his act was continued i'll health,
that they had been kind to him, but that
he was tired and lonely. DR.. ]. w Gregg,
who was summoned Immediately, said
Mr. Plummer had been dead about half
an hour. Permission. for removal of the
body was given by selectman E. II. Put
nam. For some time Mr.. Pulmmer had
suffered from nervous depression, due, no
doubt, in large part to naturally deli
cate constitution, and to low state OF
the system. There had been nothing,
however, to cause apprehension of such
elimination and 1t seems evident that
he must, at the last, have passed under
a cloud whose pressure he could not re-
looking over the contents of his safe de-
post boxes in the Peoples National bank,
paid a visit to the cemetery, and just after
noon went to II. NJ Woods store and
bought revolver and cartridges.
Mr. Plummer was the son of John
Dwight and Susan (Knight) Plummer and
was born in Brattejoro Sept. q, 1858.
After graduating from the Brattleboro
high school he attended the Rensselaer,
Polytechnic institute in Troy, N Y, where
he took a course in architecture. He
went at once to Washington. ID. c., where
he had a government position, but on ac-
count of i'll health he remained there but
a short time. Since then he had lived
in Brattleboro, designing several of the
principal business and residential build
ings. He was well situated financially.
He had a rare taste for articles of an
tiuuity and collected many pieces OF
valuable historic furniture. He also had
a valuable collection of minerals and
shells He possessed an intimate ac-
ouaintance with all outdoor life-birds,
trees plants and fiowers-which was
constant source of enjoyment to him and
to those who had the good fortune to be
his companions
AS an architect Mr. Plummer was a
man of excellent judgment, and he was
an authority in matters pertaining to
colonial architecture. All his work was
characterized by refined taste, by fidel-
itY to high lQealS, ana Dy lnSiSleHCe Oll
the use of good materials and on absolute
thoroughness of construction. He was of
quiet temperament. and those intimately
acquainted with him recognized in way
that others could not, his high ideals and
his admirable personal qualities. To them
the announcement OF his sudden death
seemed almost incredible. Mr. Plummers
mother died In 1891. His father. who was
a widely known brick mason and con-
tractor died suddenly in November, 1903.
The death of the elder Mr.. Plummer
spread a mantle of gloom over, the son
which the latter never fully threw off.
Mr.. Plummer never married He is
survived by one sister, Virginia, wife of
Henry B. Pitman of Troy, N. Y. The
funeral service was held at Mr.. Plummer's
late home at 2.30 o'clock Tuesday, Rev.
e. A. Slack of Brookline. Mass. assisted
by Rev. Mr.. Osgood of the Unitarian
church, officiating Mr. Slack. an intimate
personal friend of Mr.. Plummer, spoke
affectionately of his purity of life. of his
faithfulness to high ideals and of the
sterling integrity and innate honesty OF
thought and act which had characterized
him from boyhood up
The burial was in the family lot In Pros
pect Hill cemetery The bearers were
George S. Pratt, Charles II. Pratt. MILFORD
H. Bracket and Ernest E. Perry