The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-03-16
Clarence O. Taylor of 3O6 Clay
Street a Suicide.
Shoots. Himself in Head This
Morning With Revolver.
MADE A BAD DEAL.
Despondent Because Feared Had
Paid Too Much for Farm.
Had Been Employed in Hard
ware Stores Many Years.

ware Stores Many Years.
Clarence o. Taylor. SO years Of age,
who lived at sos Clay street, placed a
32 ca1iber revolver over his right ear
at fifteen minutes after 9 o'clock this
morning and fire a bullet into his
brain. He died before DR.. Keith, who
was summoned Immediately, reached
him. He has been despondent since
he purchased the Stewart farm. four
miles north Of the city, several weeks
ago. against the wishes of his family
and friends
| 1t Is the opinion of his friends as
well as his wife and mother that his
mind has been clouded at intervals
for number of years and it is their
| claim that he purchased the farm
while in this condition of mind. The
farm contains about forty acres and
it Is said that he paid 500 an acre
for the property while adjacent land
of a similar nature can be purchased
for less than half what he paid for this
i particular piece.
He paid $2,400 cash on the pur-
chase price and gave a mortgage for
the remainder and since the sale was
| closed has worried constantly for fear
that he had made a bad deal His
friends have done all in their power to
cheer him. for they feared that he
might kill himself while in a despond-
ent mood, though he never talked of
| such q thing.
| IT have had occasion to know of
the condition of Mr.. Taylor for a num-
Der Of years. said DIR. Lindsay, whose
speciality is nervous diseases, "and
have regarded him as of unsound mind
| since l first met him in a professional
! way though / did not anticipate an
| act Of this kind"
It is probable that the friends of the
afmfly will take steps to have the
transfer OF the Stewart farm set aside
and the purchase price returned to
Mrs. Taylor and her family, which be-
sides herself consists of daughter six
years of age and son eight.
! Mr. Taylor caree. to Topeka about
was employed in the hardware store
of D. H. Forbes and since then has
| worked in a number of hardware
stores about the city his last steady
| employment bein with Kitchell- &
them for several months and the fact
that he was out of employment with
the additional worry about the farm
purchase is undoubtedly the cause OF
his act.
D. H. Forbes who has been a close
friend OF the family visited at the
Taylor home last night and talked
hopefully of the future, but could dc
but little to cheer the Respondent
man. He was among the first called
committed. 81 have known Mr.. Tay-
lor for about 25 years." said Mr.
Forbes, land for fourteen years
he was in my employ.
He was steady, sober and always
reliable man with a pleasant home
melancholy I did not think that he
would ever attempt to end his life
l was called to see him a few weeks
ago and at that time he was wild
and raving and told me that he
guessed he would be compelled to &c
to the insane asylum as he could nc
longer control himself, though after
talked with him awhile he became
more rational.
HE left my employ about ten year,
. ago and moved to a small farm neal
Rochester school and apparently
made money, though he afterward.
sold this property and moved to Sa-
lima where he worked about the
!; hardware stores of the city for severa,
years, returning to Topeka a year OF
SO ago.
Mr. Taylor did not come down te
breakfast this morning and Mrs
Taylor was busy in the backyard
: when the shot which ended his life
was fired. He came downstairs JUS
a few moments before he fired the ia
tai shot and looked out of the bacl
door and returning Immediately te
his bedroom and placed the muzzlt
of the revolver against his head ane
fired.
He had dressed himself, with the
exception of his vest and lay on the
floor at the side of his bed, having
rolled up a rug into fold under hi
head. The weapon used was a cheaI
revolver and the bullet did not pas.
entirely through his head. DeatI
must have come almost instantly
, The scene at the Taylor home is al
extremely sad one as his little chill
dren play about the yard unable t.
realize the tragedy which has beer
, enacted in their home and robbed
!, them of their father The little boy
| in wide eyed childish astonfshmen
questioned the neighbors who waited
, outside the home as to the cause o.
their coming.
Inside of the home the wife moan.
! and sobs Historically at the bedside O.
: her husband while downstairs tn,
{ aged and invalid mother unable t.
, leave her bed means piteously for he
boy. J. H Scott, colored man t.
whom Mr. Taylor had telephoned thi
| morning for the purpose of making
lease for the farm was in the from
yard when the shot was fired and wa
: one of the first men at the scene O.
the tragedy.
l fn