The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1909-05-19
TAKES HIS OWN liFE;.
Mai. H. Frank.Wilson of Sumter Killed Hin

Mai. 81. Frank Wilson, master IN
equity of Sumter County, committed
suicide at $50 O'Clock Tuesday morning
in his Office in the court house, by shoot
ing himself in the right temple with a
44-calibre revolver, death being practl-
cally instantaneous. A moment before
he killed himself he had been talking
with his aged father, Mr.. B. F. Wilson,
OF Mayesvilie, and leaving him seated IN
the large Office went into the hreproot
record vault, closing the door alter him,
and Immediately shot himself. The re-
port OF the pistol startled Mr.. 5. r:
Wilson, who ran to the vault but found
the door locked. He then fastened out
into the corridor and called Clerk OF
Court L. I. Parrott and Judge OF Pro-
bate T. E. Richardson, telling them that
be feared his son had killed himself.
The vault door was opened as quickly as
possible, and Maj. Wilson was found ~
ing dead on the floor, with wound IN
the right side of his head and a pistol
on the floor beside him. That the sui.
eide was deliberate act: was Indicated
by the fact that Maj. Wilson had remov-
ed his hat, placing it on a table and on
top of the hat laid his spectacles which
he wore haoitually.
DR.. J. A. Mood, who was Maj. Will
sons physician was summoned and Cor
oner Flowers notified and after they ar
rived and viewed the body it was re-
moved to the Craig Furniture Co.'S un-
dertaking department to be prepared
for burial.
The inquest was held at the Craig
Furniture Co., as soon as a jury COZ "a
oe summoned. The only witnesses ex-
amined were DR.. j. A. Mood, Mr.. I. E.
Richardson and Mr.. L. |. Parrott. DR.:
Mood described the wound and stated
that death was instantaneous.
Messrs Parrott and Richardson tes-
tilted to being called to Maj. Wilson's
Office by his father, Mr.. B. F. Wilson,
and as to their opening the vault door
and finding Mai. Wilson dead on the
floor. Mr.. B. F. Wilson who is in his
seventy-ninth year, was completely un-
strung by the terrible tragedy, was too
greatly prostrated to appear at the IN
quest and it was not thoug bit necessary
TO adjourn the inquest until he was bile
to testify. The jury deliherased only
few minutes and rendered a verdict that
the deceased came to his death from a
pistol shot wound inflicted by his own
hand.
There is no known motive for the sui
eide, aud no explanation except that
Mai. Wilson had been in i'll health for
the past few years and recently had
been in depressed and melancholy
state of mind. During the past few days
he had been more nervous and depress-
ed than usual, but yesterday he went to
Marion on legal business, and his father
and Col. r. D. Lee, who accompanied
him, dc not observe anything strange
in his conduct, nor did he appear eXclt-
ed this morning. But in the light OF the
sad occurrence this morning several in
cidents in his conduct recently, which
were not regarded seriously at The time,
indicate that he! has been mentally un-
balanced at times for weeks, or perhaps
longer.
The tragic end of Maj. Wilson was a
terrible shock TO the entire community
and has saddened the hearts OF hun
dreds. For more than a quarter OF a
century be has been a resident OF this
city and onciof Sumter's most prominent
and popular citizens. Endowed by ma
ture with bright mind, which he had
cultivated by wide reading and study ne
was fitted to be a leader in any commun-
ity in which he resided. It is dlthcult-
almost impossible-to write Of, him as
we wish, in the present circumstances
his taking off being So sudden. so un-
expected and so inexpressibly sad. He
will be missed, and he will be remen-
bered for what he was and not for the
tragic end that was his fate
He is survived by his father, three
brothers, Rev. B. F. Wilson, OF Har.
risonburg, Va, Mr.. Flynn Wilson, OF
Texas, and MIR. BRADLEY Wilson. OF
Mayesville; three sisters. Mrs. Il. L.
Shaw, of Fountain, S. c., Mrs. Price
and Miss Rebecca Wilson, both MISSION
aries in China.-Sumter Item, May lS.