The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-12-28
DIED BY OWN HAND
Rev. Robert L. DOugherty
Shoots Himself to Death.
Graduated From Washburn in
the Class Of 1902.
A BRILLIANT RECORD.
Leader in OratOry and Glass
Work i'm School.
Act Is Attributed to a Mental
Breakdown.
A BRILLIANT RECORD.

News was received this morning OF
the death of Rev. Robert l.. Dougherty
of Kansas City, Kan. who shot him
self at Buchanan, N. D., Saturday
night. Dougherty was a graduate OF
Washburn college and was well known
among the older students in the city
He was a studious young man and
during his four years in college he
ranked very high in his studies. He
was not known to have particular in
terest in anybody and his intentions OF
preaching the Gospel were displayed
by his interest in the Bible studies at
the college and his admiration for
visiting missionaries. In a literary
way he was also prominent in Wash
burn and represented the college on a
debating team that defeated Grinnell
college, Iowa, in 1902. He was a win
ner in many of the local oratorical
contests and was a member of the staff
of the Washburn Review. When he
graduated he stood second in his class
as scholarship rank. He was mem
Der of the Washburn college literary
society
His sister. Miss Lucy T. Dougherty,
was a teacher of mathematics in the
college for a number of years and
then took the position of college Ii
brarian. At present time she is a
teacher in the Kansas City, Kan, high
school.
Born in Kansas City, Kan, twenty
eight years ago, Robert L. Dougherty
was reared and educated to follow in
the footsteps of his father as a minis
ter of the Gospel. He was graduated
from the Kansas City, Kan, high
school in 1898. He entered Washburn
at once and graduated in 1902. From
Washburn he went to the Hartford
Theological seminary in Connecticut
and later in the Chicago Theological
seminary.
The young minister's first aim was
to became a missionary to foreign
lands. His health would not permit
such a life and he had to give il up.
When in Washburn he had i'll health.
He was of slight build, rather stopped
was very popular with the professors
of the college. He then decided he
would go into the northwest and do in
that country what his father was do
ing in Kansas. At Buchanan, N. D.,
six months ago he took charge of the
pulpit in the Congregational church as
temporary supply. After four
months preaching he was chosen as a
regular pastor of the church.
The Rev. James G. Dougherty, father
of the Rev. Robert L. Dougherty, Is now
preaching in Kensington, Kan. For
years he was pastor of the First Con-
sreeationaI church in Kansas city,
Kan, and was the first of the leaders
to take up the fight against lotteries,
gambling houses, liquor joints and
graft.
L. Dougherty is survived by one broth
ed and two sisters. The brother, Brad
ford Dougherty, is junior member of the
firm of w. T. Maunder & Co., in Kan
sas City. Kan. One sister, Lucy T.
Dougherty, is a teacher in the Kansas
City, Kan, high school Mary L. Dough-
erty the other sister, is a teacher in
the Longfellow school in Kansas City,
Kan.
The parents of the young man can
give no reason for the suicide unless it
was a mental breakdown due to i'll
health and overstudy while fitting him
self for the ministry.