The Newtown bee., 1908-05-15
The NeWtoWn Bee.
 Newtown. Friday, May IS, 1908.
New Milford.
LEWIS s. BROOKS TAKES HIS
 LIFE BY REVOLVER SHOT.

LIFE BY REVOLVER SHOT.
 Lewis s. Brooks, we'll known and
 respected citizen of Fairport. N. Yr
 committed suicide. May 6. at 5.30 at his
 home on South Main street, by shoot
 ing himself in the head with a 22-cali-
 bre revolver. Mir Brooks had been ac-
 customed to sleep at the late home of
 his father, Garry Brooks. on Pekin
 street, returning to his own home each
 morning. MT Brooks returned some
 what earlier than usual that morning
 and when he arrived home seemed to
 be in his usual health and cheerful
 spirits. When he entered the house he
 inquired for a certain suit of clothes,
 saying that he was anxious to find an
 important paper. He was directed to
 a wardrobe in an adjoining room and
 after searching there a few minutes,
 he went to the rear of the house and it
 was supposed that he had gone to the
 woodshed to get kindling preparatory
 to starting a fire in the kitchen range.
 Shortly after shot was heard and the sound of body falling. Mrs Brooks rushed to the door and there found her husband lying unconscious with a bull let hole in his head just above the right ear. The family physician was at once summoned and arrived in a few minutes. but assured the horror strick- en family that MT Brooks was beyond hope. The physician also called in counsel a physician from Rochester, who agreed that nothing could be uone for the injured man. MT Brooks re- mained in an unconscious condition un- til death occurred at 2.40 in the after noon. The deceased was the only son of the late Garry Brooks of that vil- lage, and was the executor of .his fa- ther's will and large beneficiary in the estate, which was valued at quar- ter of million, and as the will was being contested by the two sisters, who were joint heirs with MT Brooks, he was greatly annoyed and worried over the matter. Tuesday. the hear ing in the contest was held before Sur rogate Brown and MT Brooks had been an important witness and was to have undergone a rigid examination, Wednes- day morning. It is supposed that the mental strain proved too great for him and that his rash act was the result of temporarily unbalanced condition. MT Brooks was born in Fairport, 55 years ago and had since resided in that place. He is survived by the widow, formerly Miss Mary McMillan. and eight children: Chauncey c. Brooks, Ms Emma s. Black of Geneseo, Fan nie F., of Raliston, N. C., Jesse T., Ethel M., Willard J., Mamie L., and Earl V. Brooks. Also by two sisters, Mrs Emma Saleno and Mrs Fannie Harris, both of Fairport. The funeral, which was private, was held at the home, last Friday afternoon, and the interment was at Penfeld. Garry Brooks, father of Lewis s. Brooks, died in December last, at the advanced age of 102 years. Shortly after his death, petition for the probate of his will was filed by Lewis s. Brooks. In the petition value of the estate was es- timated at about S20O.000, but it was generally understood that the property would inventory much higher. The will proper was made in February, 1894, but there were several codicils affixed. Hints of contest came shortly after the filing of the will and several preliminary hearings were had. ending in the filing of formal objections to the will on April 16, in behalf of Frances Harris and Emma J. Saleno, daughters of the testator. By the provisions of the will one-third of the estate was given to Lewis s. Brooks, who was named executor, and the income from the other two-thirds was to be divided between the two daughters. In the event of their dying before their hus- bands, the income should cease to be paid over and the principal would go ..l