Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1908-01-08

best known attorneys of Marshalltown
while suffering from a temporary
mental arrangement, committed sui
eide at his home today by hanging. The
discovery was not made until after
noon. when Mr.. F. L. Meeker, Mr.
Meekel''s elder son, returned home and
was surprised not to find his father
Mrs. Meeker had supposed her hus-
band was in his office as usual. and
was just as much surprised not to sea
him accompanying his son home to
lunch. An investigation on the part
OF f. Il. Meeker soon revealed the fact
Of his fathers death.
Act Committed in Barn.
When f. l.. Meeker prepared to
come down town this morning the eld-
er Mr.. Meeker remarked to his son
that he did not believe he would go
down. Mr.. Meeker had not been feel
ing we'll Of late, and this did not cause
any great surprise, altho usually he
was in his Office, regardless Of whether
or not he was feeling just well.
Supposedly Starts for Office.
AT about O'Clock Mr.. Meeker put
aon his sat and hat and left the house.
his viii presuming that he was going
to his office. When f. L. Meeker re-
turned home for lunch and found his
father not in the house, he immedi-
ately suspected that all was not right.
Mr. Meeker does not know why he did
SO. but he went to the barn the first
thing, and there found his fathers
dead body. Mr.. Meeker had tied the
rope about stall, and kneeled for
ward. Mr.. Meeker cut the rope tmme-
diately, hoping that possibly the act
had just been committed. He soon
saw, however, that life was quite ex-
stinct. Coroner Nichols was Immediate
" notified, but after Investigating the
circumstances decided that an inquest
was unnecessary.
Had Shown Mental Depression.
Since early in November Mr.. Meek
er had shown evidences of mental
depression. He was very melancholy at
times, and lacked interest in affairs
and events for which he had always
shown a marked interest before. He
was we'll physically, had nothing what
ever in the way Of family affairs to
worry him, his business was in the.
best OF shape, and his financial condi
tion such that It need never cause
him worry. The only way an eMplana-
=, h 1a for,o Hxyoc G
that Mr.. Meeker was gradually break
Ing down mentally, due to his long life
IN the practice Of law, coupled with an
extremely nervous temperament. A
western trip was planned to see If his
condition could not be improved, and
I'm November NE. Meeker left for Yer
non, b. c., to visit his son. Guy A.
,Nfeeker. From there - went down the
coast to Los Angeles, and for ten days
was with his daughter-in- law, Mrs.
f. L. Meeker, who is spending the
winter with her children at Ocean
Park. Mr. Meeker arrived home few
DAYS before Christmas and for few
days appeared to be better and much
brighter. The Improvement was only
a temporary one, however, and since
Christmas he had been gradually
growing worse.
Has Had Long and Busy Career.
Mr.. Meeker has had a remarkably
long and active business career, and
only yesterday was in his office all
day Next May he would have been
practicing law continuously in this city
for forty years, and during that long
period has taken but very few resting
spells Of any great length.
John Franklin Meeker was born in
Chenango county, New York, Dec. Is,
1887. He came west with his father
and his family at the age Of 16, set
Ting near Sycamore, DeKalb county,
Illinois, on farm. There young Frank
attended high school, and graduated.
From there he went to college, att
Hillsdale, Mich, where he also grad
uated He had determined upon the
practice Of law, and accordingly went
to Ann Arbor, Mich, where he grad
uated with the class of 1864.
Mr.. Meeker returned at once to his
old home at Sycamore, and formed a
CO. partnership with the late Judge
Lowell One year later, at Hudson.
Mich, on July s. 1866, he took as his
bride Miss Sarah Pierce. and began
at Sycamore, where he
lived until he came to this city in May, !
1865
Smelling First Partner.
Mr.. Meeker formed copartnership
with w. E. Smelling shortly after COM
lng to this city. and q few years later