Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1908-10-26
FRIENDS COMPLETELY STUNNED
Blow to PersonsI Friends Hero Was
Most Severe One - cablesram Sent
to Consul General Thackara Express
ina Sympathy for Mrs. Mcfarland -
Old Home Towns Grievs.

far there is no more light on the case
than that afforded thru the Times Re
publican Saturday evening.
The blow Of Netherlands death to
his many personal friends here was
most severe. The shock was so sud-
den as to completely overwhelm strong
men who had been intimate with Nc
F,arland for years.
Sympathy cabIed Mrs. Mcfarland.
At the Marshalltown State bank
Saturday evening President A. F.
Balch, Cashier P. S. Balch, A. G. Click,
of Britain & Co., Postmaster c. II.
Smith, and others. met and sent
cablegram to Consul General A. NJ.
Thackara at Berlin, Germany, express
ing thru him to Mrs. Mcfarland, the
sympathy of Marshalltown friends.
The friends here have been expecting
some word from Hamburg from w. V.
Couchman, of this city, who represents
in Europe. but up to this afternoon
nothing had been received.
Eiboeck Cables Daughter.
Word to the T.-R. from Des Moines
today was to the effect that Col JOS
eph Eiboeck, Mrs. McFarland's father,
had been informed Of his son-in-law's
death, and had cab1ed his daughter to
come home at once.
Mrs. Mcfarland Assigns No Cause.
In later dispatches Saturday night,
served to the Sunday morning papers.
the Associated Press announced that
Mrs. Mcfarland had been informed OF
her husbands death, and with her
daughter had gone to Ludwigslust to
take charge Of the body. Mrs. McFar-
land could assign no cause for the act
unless it might have been that Mr.. Nc
Farland was respondent owing to his
trouble with his injured knee The knee
had bothered him more or less ever
since the accident. and he had re-
marked that he "could not live If the
travelling, necessary in his position,
mad to be given up because of his
knee" Mr.. Mcfarland had wired his
wife from Hamburg to meet him for
lunch that day. The shooting was said
to have taken place in a berth which
Mcfarland occupied alone.
No News at Washington.
A telegram from Washington Satur-
day night was to the effect that the
state department officials and friends
of Mcfarland in Washington were
greatly surprised that he should have
committed suicide, if subsequent dis
closures prove that to be the case.
They say as far as they are aware,
there is no logical reason for the man
taking his own life. Two weeks ago,
when in Washington. Mcfarland ap-
peared to be in the best Of health and
spirits, and was enthusiastic over the
work he had in hand, and left the city
for Europe with happy prospects for
the future.
Late Letters Were Optimistic.
All late letters from Mr.. Mcfarland
received in this city were Of the most
hopeful and optimistic tone. One writ
ten Sept. 30 was received by A. F.
Balch, and another by his brother, p.
S. Balch. Both spoke of his interest in
his new work, and in his satisfaction
after his trip to Washington.
A. G. Click received a letter dated
Oct. 2, and the last letter written by
him was received by c. H. Hull, under
date of Oct 9. This was the evening
before Mr. Mcfarland sailed.
Grief at Old Home Towns.
From the IRIS correspondent at
Mt. Pleasant the following was re-
ceived to day:
Mt. Pleasant, Oct 2e.-The news of
the death of Silas Mcfarland on last
Saturday came as great shock to his
many Mt. Pleasant friends. for it was
in this town that he was born and
spent his boyhood days. His family is
well known here, and Mrs. II. T. Bird
was sister Of the deceased's uncle,
Judge John Woolston, who lived here
the greater part of his life, and but
recently died in Des Moines. Mr.. Nc
Farland's father was Colonel Mcfarland
and he is buried in Forest Home ceme-
terry. It is he after whom the local
CA. r. post is named. The family
has long been associated with Mt.
Pleasant, and the news of his untime-
ly death was received with much re-
greet.
Mother Gets a Letter.
The great shock upon the receipt OF
the news at Cedar Falls is also told
in word to the T.-R. from it's corre-
spondent there. Mrs. Peter Melendy,
Mr.. McFarland's mother had only re-
Gently received a letter from her son,
written on board the ship which took
him across after his six weeks trip in
this country. He said that he regretted
not being able to visit her, but spoke
with anticipation of longer visit
which they would enjoy next summer
when he had been promised longer
leave Of absence. He also stated that
he had purposely taken a slow steam
ship that he might have time to plan
his future work and have everything
in readiness for immediate action when
he arrived in Berlin. Mrs. Melendy
feels certain that the deed was not
premeditated, and that no investiga-
ton will ever disclose the cause Of his
rash deed.
Grief in T.-R. Office.
There is deep grief in the T.-R. office
over McFarland's death. Several men
on the T.-R today started their news
paper careers under Mr.. Mcfarland.