Windham County reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1901-1906, 1906-03-02
DEATH OF WALTER CHlLDS
AS THE RESULT OF A BULLET
WOUND SELF INFLICTED.
Shooting Took Place at His Home on
Green Street Yesterday Morning,
Death Following -Four Hours Later
Sketch Of His Life.

! Walter II. Childs. 50, died at his
home on Green street yesterday after.
noon at 12.20 from bullet wound
through the chest, the result of an at
tempt made a few hours previous to
take his own life. During the interval
that elapsed between the time the shot
was fired and his death Mr.. Childs was
conscious and told the friends about
him that he was tired, discouraged and
lonesome. He had evidently decided
at least the day before to end his life
and had planned the deed carefully.
No more severe shock has come to
the community in long time than the
news of Mr.. Childs s act. He was APP
parently in good spirits Wednesday and
spent part of the evening playing bill
lizards at the Vermont Wheel club. Be-
fore retiring he told his housemaid,
! Hannah Anderson, TO call him at the
usual time, clock. Shortly after s
yesterday morning the maid raped on
the door of Mr.. Childs's bedroom and
thought she heard him say he was
dressing. Soon after going down
stairs, however, she heard him rap on
the floor. and upon going to his room
found him lying on the floor near his
| bed. At Mr.. Childs's direction Miss
Anderson called DR.. Pratt's house by
| telephone. The doctor was out but
Mrs. Pratt Immediately notified DIR. g.
X. Anderson and then telephoned to
the home of Col j. G.. Estey. Mrs. j.
j. Estey and Mrs. ]. G. Estey hurried
10 the Childs home. and soon afterward
m,
Pratt and DIR. q. +. Gale. Other of
Mr.. Childs s friends We're summoned
Immediately and all remained with him
until the end.
The wound which caused Mr.. Childs 5
death was made by the bullet of a re-
volver. which was found on the floor
near him. The ball entered the chest
on the left side above the heart and
passed downward through the left lung
obliquely, emerging from the right side
of the back. Mr.. Childs left letters. TO
his sons, relatives and several friends.
and had arranged his affairs as if in
preparation for his departure from
this life.
Dependency seems to be the only
motive to which Mr.. Childs s act can
be attributed Since his retirement
from active work in the summer of
1904 he had been considerably con
cerned about his right hand, which
was affected with the disease known
as writer's eramp. This prevented
him using a pen easily but seemed to
be growing no worse as time went on.
although at times it annoyed him
greatly and was always a source of
much worry Mr.. Childs spent the
month of January AT Hamilton. Ber-
muda, and on his return appeared en-
thusiastic over the trip. To his friends
he spoke repeatedly of the good time
he had had, and of late had seemed
more cheerful than usual. In recent
letters to relatives. however, he had
mentioned his loneliness and spoken of
his desire for an occupation of some
kind
Walter Henry Childs was born in
Wilmington Aug. ), 1852. son of John
NJ. and Martha A. (Winchester)
Childs. He attended the public schools
in that town, and in June, 1869. at
the age of 16 years, came to Brattle.
boro and began work in the office of
the Estey Organ company. Mr.. Childs
remained with that concern until his
health forced him TO retire in July,
1904. For many years he was head
book keeper and always held the i'm.
plicit confidence of those above and
oelow him. Mr. Childs married in 1873
Clara NJ. daughter of Mr.. and Mrs.
John Davis of this town, She died in
January. 1898. Mr. Childs is survived
bv two sons, Charles Frederick, who is
with large banking house in Chi
eago, and George Arthur. who has
position as electrical draughtsman in
st. Louis. He also leaves one brother,
Arthur Winchester Childs, of Manches-
ter, n. H. Nine of the brothers and
sisters of Mr.. Childs s father are liv.
ing They are William H. Childs of
Burlington, Asaph P. Childs of Ben
nington, Rollin S. and Frederick w.
Childs of this town. Mrs. H. A. Will
liams of Norwich. Conn. Mrs. Edwin
Thayer of Springfield, Mass, Mrs. II,