Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1906-10-11
SHOOTS SELF in .,,,,,
HEAD WITH RIFLE
JAMES cRUME, 1910 SHERMAN
STREET, A MAN SO YEARS OF
AGE, COMMITS SUICIDE

jealousy of Another Man May Have
Been cause-LlfeIess Body Found
Last Evening by Daushter-Fired
Shot While Lying on His Bed.
From Wednesdays Daily.
With a bullet wound in the center of
his forehead, the lifeless body of
James Crume, a man fifty years of age,
was found lying on bed in his home
at 1910 West Sherman street, by his
young daughter about 6 o'clock last
evening.
While nothing definite may be ascer-
tanned as to the exact time or manner
of Mr.. Crume's death. the theory Of
the police is that he shot himself
sometime about 8 o'clock yesterday
morning. 1t is thought that despond-
ency due to the excessive use of IL
quor impelled Crume to commit his
rash act.
Sons Hears Shot.
About 8 o'clock yesterday morning
Lewis Crume, son, heard a shot
fired but thought nothing of the mat
ter at the time. Before going to
school in the afternoon, he and his
sister Luretta entered the bed room
and took from the bed on which the
father was lying. a small % calibre
rifle, putting 1t in the corner of the
room. At this time the children
thought that their father was asleep
but 1t is now believed that he was
dead then, and had been since the
time the shot was fired in the morn.
ing.
Mrs. Crume is employed as cook
at West End restaurant and was not
at home during the day. The daughter
Luretta, girl Of about IA years, re-
turned home after, school and began
the preparation Of supper. At about s
o'clock she went into the bed room to
call her father for supper. Being un-
able to arouse him she ran to the res
taurant and told her story to the moth
er. Mrs. Crume, securing the assist
ance of number of men returned to
the house and discovered that Crume
was, indeed, dead. Further examina-
tion revealed the fact that he had been
shot in the center Of the forehead This
fact was not at first apparent, due to
the way the body was lying and be-
Gauss hardly any blood had come from
the wound. It is stated by medical
authorities that, when found, Crume
may have been dead for many hours.
Had Been Drinking.
1t is said that Crume had been drink.
ing heavily of late. He and his wife
have had considerable trouble, and he
is said to have been violent. and threat
ened injury to the family during the
past week.
About a week ago Crume returned
from Ft. Pierre, s. D., where he had
been for some time. After his return
here, he did not at once go to his home,
Leaves Note For Wife.
Crume left no explanation for his
rash act further than that contained in
in the note which he left for his wife.
| This note read as follows:
Dear Min
will (probably, mean) we'll hate
to (do) this but guess you won't care.
You can have Herb Sullivan. Goodbye
all of you. God bless all of you.
James Crume.
The Herb Sullivan mentioned in the
note is said to be J. Herbert Sullivan,
who resides at 413 South Benton
street.
The bullet which caused the death
of Crume was fired from % calibre
rifle which was found in the bed by
Lewis Crume, son.
Crume was fifty years of age at the
time of his death. He is survived by
his wife, two sons, Jesse and Lewis
and one daughter, Luretta. The unfor
tunate man is son of William Crume
who resides two miles east OF Dahlon
ega
Wife Tells Story.
i In a statement to a reporter this
morning, Mrs Crume, wife of the un
fortunate man said:
4 my husband came to this city from
4 Ft Pierre. S. D.. a week ago yester
day where he has been for some time
He never showed up at home unit
last Friday. From what I can learr
he has been drinking very heavily
ever since he has been in the city
Monday he was drinking considerable
/ Yesterday morning as he awoke he
wanted me to stay home from work
4 / am working at a restaurant, but
told him that would have to go te
i work and that would work until he
/ found something to do.
81 left the house and went to ths
restaurant leaving him in his bed
Just before school time Mr.. Crume
called my little daughter to him anc
asked for book remarking that hi
wanted to write on it. From this hi
] tore a leaf of paper and wrote on it
Finishing the writing he held it UP Il
my daughter and asked her if sht
!, could read the writing Answering
that she could not he said, Well
Mommy can read it.
About 8 o'clock my son Levi.
heard the report of a gun but though
lit was outside somewhere and though
nothing of it.
i Thought Father Asleep.
(, Along in the afternoon my son wen
into the room and saw the rifle lyint
on the bed. Thinking his father wal
asleep he took the rifle and placed i
j in the corner of the room. remarkins
4 to his little sister. papa must thinl