Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1909-12-16
]. FRANK M NEES
TAKES OWN LIFE
Dependent Over Loss of Job and LahOrng
Under Impression That he Was Being
Pursued BY a Mob He Sends Bullet
Crashing Into Brain.

Oo laSJ SATURDAY afternoon at ABOUT
four thirty O'Clock this usually quiet
little town was thrown into high state
of excitement when the news was flash
d ever the streets that J. Frank Nc
Nees, a printer, of Farmland, Indiana,
lad taken his own life in the public
Dom of the Old Inn at. this place. Nc
Nees came 10 Tazewell on December 2,
ana up to Thursday last had been in the
1mplOy of the Tszewell Printing Com
pany, but owing to his peculiar talk and
actions and his inability to hold down
the position the management of that
coneern deemed it best to dispense with
is services, and so notified him, but re-
luested that he remain with them until
re secured another position or had ac-
cumulated funds sufficient to return to
is home in Indiana. This he promised
do, but on Friday and Saturday he
yorked only few hours each day, re-
naming away from the Office the great
r part of the time, his actions indicat-
iag that he was laboring under heavy
mental strain. In the afternoon of Sat
lrday he received a letter from his wife
nd also one from his father. The re-
ceipt of these letters seemed to only
aggravate his case, and after notifying
IS employers that he would report for
dlty on Monday morning, went directly
the hotel Office and after writing
ote directing what disposition should
e made of his body, placed pistol to
g .-,-I,H l.
lg into his brain, death being instan-
3neous.
That he had contemplated suicide for
averal days was evidenced by letters
ound on his body, addressed to his
life, father and mother, one of which
as dated Wednesday, the Sth, in which
made known the fact that he had
lily made up his mind to take his own
fe. Another letter found on his per-
IN, addressed "to the public" read:
eff ever man was a victim of cir
instances l am that man. Fate has
cen against me. For three years
ave been charged with something, but
know not what it is. But when one is
rursued by such school of gossipers as
,andOlph county affords they might as
yell end it all and say, here goes moth
ng."
Randolph county referred to by Me-
ices is the county from which he came
4 Indiana, and the only inference to be
srTived at by his allusion to the people
# his home county is that he imagined
imself accused of some wrongful deed
y them. But that there was nothing
hatsver charged against him in
andolph is evidenced by a statement
rom the sheriff of that county to the
feet that he was a man of character,
yainst whom no charge rested.
The first queer actions on the part of
aIcNees were noted on Tuesday morn
g Of last week when he applied to
equity Sheriff VIM. Bandy ands Ser
cant ]. Albert Hsgy and asked pro-
y-sction against a mob, which he said
I'D attempted to lynch him the night
sfore. Both of these gentlemen in
9stigated the statement of McNees
My to find it without foundation, and
included that the man had only dream
he had been attacked by persons
ishing to do him injury. From that
me forward McNees' actions and con-
ersation were such as to bring into
lestion the sanity of the man, and il
as freely whispered among those most
his company that he was mentally
balanced, but no one ever thought
lat he would take his own life or ever
tempt to do himself bodily harm. Sc
IN was the man in his belief that 6
lob was after him that he wrote his
ther in Indiana to send the sheriff oi
Randolph county here to protect him.
here is no question in the minds of the
eople here but that McNees was men
lily unbalanced, and that laboring un.
sr the belief that he was being pur
Ied by mob he took his own life tC
scape the imaginary dangers that be
It him
His remains were shipped on Sunday
fternoon to his home in Indiana fol
aurial, he having requested in note
hich ne left that this be done Though
comparative stranger to the people Of
azewell many expressions of sympathy
7ere heard and every one evidenced {
spirit of willingness to do all that wal
rossible for the man who had thus 81
sagicslly taken his own life. He was
lrty-one years of age, and leaves 1
7ife and three children.