The Detroit times., 1910-04-01
INK \. G[ADD|hG
BENDS BULLET
/ THROUGH HEAD
C1jsf Dookkeeper in Controllers
o0oe, Brooding Over Wife's IL
ness and Own Financial Distress,
Takes His Life.
Leaves Note Explaining That Twas
Either the "Bughouse" or Suicide,
and That He Chose Latter.
Thsv have hounded me to death.

y
With this meager explanation in the
FORM OF q farewell note, scrubbed In
memorandum book, Frank II. Glad
dlne, chief 5ookkeeper in the city con-
eroIler's office. took bis own life in the
bathToom OF his apartments in the Ed
Ward. No. go Brush-st., early Thurs
DAY morning, by shooting himself
NJ through the head with revolver. he
died In Harper ambulance as he was
bolog carried into the hospital.
From the position OF the body IT was
81 evident that Gladding stood before q
mirror when he fired the shot. he
3 held the muzzle OF the weapon just
over his right ear. and the bullet
passed through his head In almost
direct lire, coming out about an inch
and q quarter over the left ear. That
h he had been contemplating self-de-
N otructiOn for several days was evident
Il nom his conduct both at home and ~
the controllers Office. In converse.
r lion with H. Desner, q roomer In MS
home. late "Wednesday night, Gladding
1aiked about the suicide OF mutual
friend In Grand Rapids some time
swhere did that Dutchman shoe.
himselff" he asked.
I'm the head" Desner replied.
.srhere?" iqtieried Gladding, pointing
b "a the exact spot on his head which ne
x liter selected as the most Vulnerable
for his purpose:
Breeding over the illness or his wiIe
and his own ill-health and the heavy
81 Expenses incident TO his trouble un-
8 doubtedly affected Gladdlng's mlnd
and led to Thursdays painful tragedy.
h &c was Just a week ago that Mrs Glad
ding was taken to the Dearborn re-
X frast 10 be treated for mental trouble
IA Vomiting from goitre. Giaddfng had
4! not been himself since then. For
NJ Ionr time previous to that he had been
b realty worried, owing to his wife's
condition. A new doctor was called In
nearly every week, and the. medical
b hflls were q constant drain on his
4 Nrnnces. His relatives believe that
this explains his reference to hound
fn~'s in his farewell note; not that
fhe physicians were insistent for their
n uxnv. but that in his disordered mental
M 0tate. he Simply regarded the situation
~ this light
At the beginning of Mrs. Gladding's
trouble, the doctor first called in sug-
rested an immediate operation, but
K Gladding was opposed TO this. He
~ seemed to have horror OF operations
and was apparently OF the belief tina.
k.n way could be found 10 remedy the
trouble without recourse TO the knife.
m This probably explains his frequent
change of physicians. When his wife
was removed to Dearborn last week.
b the doctors there expressed the opin-
& lon. Il Is said, that an operation should
II have been performed long ago. AS IL
- now. It will first be necessary to
treat her for the mental disorder be-
X fore an operation can be performed.
When he learned this, Gladding &C.
IS kuowledged that he had made mis-
take, and this seemed to worry him
B greatly. On his way home from
Dearborn with the wife's relatives
6laddfng seemed TO be all broken up,
and his condition had been growing
worse ever since.
His home broken up, and a sufferer
nom rtomach trouble himself TO such
Il N extent that he was obliged to diet,
N f2laddings piind seemed TO turn 20
suicide as the only way out Of mis-
x dilemma. He tried to rent his fiat and
vas greatly disappointed because no
a replies came Immediately He dis
n Gussed his troubles with his associates
x 81 the controllers ONCE and told them
<om0ng other things that he had gene
y Down to the river a few days ago 10
" throw himself I'm, but could not quite
screw up his courage to the proper
4 point-
When his roomer, Mr.. Desner, who
n an old personal friend of Gladding,
returned. home about ]. o'clock phurs-
n day morning. he found Gladding still
n ID and about. Gladding complained
& that he had not been able to sleep.
II feel like ending 1t ALL" he added.
e n can't stand 1t any longer"
IA Desner, reading the evening paper.
S ouggested that Gladding might be one
kHof the fortunate city employees
& scheduled for an increase In salary.
y notwithstanding that most of the
y boosts were cut out
ITO hell with it, Gladding replied.
e lnapatiently. that's not what's troub-
ling me-" s
The two sat and talked for some
time and Desner noticed that Gladding
& made frequent trips TO the bath room.
n Finally, at Desner's urgent request.
& (3ladding promised to try TO go to sleep
b and retired Desner did likewise and
& knew no more of what transpired until
IL awuke with start about FIVE miu.
rites before 6 O'Clock.
Il know now that n was the sound
|><0f the shot that awakened me-" SAIL
B. 1)ssner. But I'm my sleep sounded
moro like the slaEming o. a door
1T up. anyway, and looked in the front
r6room. where Gladding always slept.
re was not there. Then looked IN
<ko han and saw that the outer door
s. 49, cloaed and locked. Then got a
S1nlR Of powder and | said to myself,
A my God, wonder II he did what he
1hroatoned TO do?
~Tkon I looked In the bath room and
s here ne was. lying on his left side
w1th blood flowing from a wound In
~ head. I called up the police right
away and they Gent Harper ambulance.
01ndding was still breathing when
<Aoy put hin-in the-smbulaRee. hut he
- pouooscioos. The -ean,--av 80
1fbor< Weapon, I. found under him Ia
~ hath room. The police have II
toroner's Clerk William DeIaurier
nnonded 20 the call. He decided that
inquest Is unnecessary and will
n the body over 10 relatives.
1n6dink was about 81 years old. He
~ b Detroit about 20 years ago