The Mathews journal. (Mathews C.H. [Court House]) 1903-1937, 1911-08-10
USED Shotgun
TO KILL HIMSELF
Unhappy Parent Used Stick With
Which to Pull Trigger-His Son
Had Resorted to Precisely
Same Method Without
Attaining End.
RICHMOND

RICHMOND, VA, Special
BrOOding over the attempted sui
eide OF his son and the -latter's state
OF mind. Joseph Lee Farmer, a pain
ter. shot and instantly killed himself
in his home, 1416 North Twenty-third
Street, Paramount, this morning at
11:40 o'clock. The dead man is fifty
, three years old.
The deed was done with a shotgun.
the stock of which the desperate man
planted between his feet, placing his
left breast over the muzzle. After as
Stunning this position the suicide showed
the trigger with stick.
&. A. Felvey, of 1923 North Twenty
third Street, neighbor of the dead
man, was passing the house at the
time and heard the shot. He rushed
into the house and found the pros
trate form of the suicide stretched
upon the floor Of a middle room.
Mr.. Farmer is believed to have been
dead when Mr.. Felvey entered the
house.
Quickly divining the situation, Mr..
Felvey ran TO the street with the in
tenuOn of summOning the ambulance
and the police. Upon reaching the
yard he rushed almost into the arms
of a member of the Salvation Army.
who had also heard the shot, although
from a greater distance and who also
was on the eve of entering the house
of death.
Mr.. Felvey quickly explained the
situation to the Salvation Army man,
who got into communication with the
First Police Station.
Upon being apprised Of the shoot
ing Mounted Policeman j. II. Ryan
was sent pOSthaste to the scene. When
| the officer arrived a few minutes af-
ter the receipt of intelligence of the
| tragedy Mr.. Felvey and the SALIVA
zionist" were guarding the body.
Coroner William II. Taylor was also
| NJ Cd nj Cd he 10 Oh
4 ly afterwards. After making a cur
sorry examination Of the corpse and
taking the statements of Mr.. Felvey
| and the religious worker, DIR. Taylor
| gave it as his opinion that Mr.. Far
mer came to his death from q gun
shot wound self inflicted
| Mr.. Farmer was alone when he ended
his life. w. w: Farmer, one Of three
| sons, and four children was at work at
the time. He was telephOned the news
/ Of his fathers death by a neighbor and
/ arrived at the house which is also his
cold
Young Mr.. Farmer stated that his
! father had brooded considerably since
| another son, Edward Lee Farmer. at
| tempted self destruction as a result of
| losing his mind about ten days ago. The
| condition of the would-be suicide is said
| to be grave.
The elder Mr.. Farmer has been out Of
work and unable to procure employ
ment for the last two weeks. This is
|
The dead man was a widower. He
lived with his son. w. w. Farmer. and
i Farmer. He is survived by the three
| whose names have been mentioned and
a fourth child, another son, Thomas
/ Bennett Farmer.
The son who would end his life shot
| hlmSen In precisely the same manner
| The elder Mr.. Farmer was shot
through the heart The would-be sui
eide is twenty-three years old and is
possible inspiration for the sui
| eide was discovered by Policeman
! Ryan, who picked up a newspaper,
upon which a pair OF spectacles were
! resting, and which had been opened
near an article detailing the suicide
| of a naval officer.
Already in a disordered state Of
| mind. the perusing of the article is
believed to have prompted the act on
the part OF the unhappy man.
w. W. Farmer, who was the only
relative Of the dead man at the
| house when Journal representative
| reached the scene, while obviously
grief-stricken, was bearing up hero
| ically under the strain. He contin-
ually paced the floor with head low
cred and hands clenched, but never
for an instant did he lose his nerve
or faculties.
News of the shooting quickly
spread ana tremendous crowd
| quickly gathered. No one except
relatives, Officers and newspaper men.
was allowed to enter the house.
The ambulance of Undertaken Bill
ups arrived shortly after Coroner Tay-
| Tor had concluded his examination
and the body was taken in charge.
The son who attempted his life lives
/ at Stop - on the Nine Mile Road.
/ The funeral of Joseph Lee Farmer
will take place Sunday afternoon ut
| 1870 o'clock at the East End Baptist
| Church