Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1912-08-02
PASSENGERS ON NORTHWEST.
ERh TRAIN WITNESS ATTEMPT
At SUICIDE.
EARL M'NAIR, OF MoNrouR,
LONG PLANNED DESTRUCTION
Youth Of e Years Leaves Note Say
ing Hs Made Many Attsmpts at Sui
eids-Stoed at Point Near Railway
and Shot Himself 40 Tram Whixxsd
By-offiesrs Notified and Find Him.
Special to Times-Republican.

Special to Times-Republican.
Montour. Aug. Am attempted
suicide that will probably prove fatal
was committed in full view Of passen-
gers on the east bound Northwestern
passenger train No. 1s that left Mar
shalltown at 3: 30 this morning about
one-half mile east of Montour. While
passengers sitting on the left side OF
the chair car were looking across a
meadow that adjoined the right Of
way. they saw a man place to his
head a revolver. saw the fash and the
smoke and were aston;shed to see him
drop to the ground.
Notify Town Marshal.
Before the train reached the Mon
conductor what they had witnessed.
He asked w A Tuttle. a passenger for
Montour. to notify the town marshal
OF the incident. Securing Marshal
FIisbie and notifying Coroner William
Corns. Mr. Tutfle and the marshal
drove to the spot where the train pas
lieved to be tragedy. They found
young man unconscious and bleeding
from a wound in the head. Help was
q handcar to the nearest highway
crossing. Marshal Frisbie Identified
the man as Earl McNair. whose home
was near by.
Parents Notified.
- <1,n
home to notify his parents, Mr.. and
Mrs. J. Lester McNair. Of the TRAGEDY.
The body was taken to tho McNair
home, q short distance away. On ex-
animation Coroner Corns found that
the bullet. had entered the young mans
brain ct the base Of the iAlgull. Al
tho stortly before. noon McNAir was
| still alive, the coroner holds out no
hope for his recovery.
! Near the body, which was not more
than thirty or forty feet from the
fence which separates the pasture
from the right Of way, was found q
.:c-cai;her revolver. I: contained one
empty cartridge and one loaded one.
Lens Planned 70 Destroy Self.
That the young man had .con:em-
plated suicide for some time and that
he had planned the act. also>that no
had attempted suicide before. was
shown in letter found on his cloths
ing which was addressed to his fsth-
er. mother, brother sisters. and cousin
Fay This letter was sealed but the
parents consented to have its contents
made public. The letter reads:
II have committed suicide. This Is
not tho work Of a moment. have
spent years planning 1t all out. 1t Is
second nature 20 me. I WAS born that
way. My hrst attempt was made the
fall I worked at Montour. The chloro-
form that I used so much. was pur-
chased solely for that reason. Each at
tempt failed. Then the spring l was 80
sick in the evening when I had that
spell of sickness, that was also an at
tempt. That was no sickness at all.
took s. dose of strychnine. came thru
all right. I took one dose before thht
but It failed. have planned this all
nut. I am the only one that knew any
thing about 1t. This attempt will no.
fail because possess the deadliest
weapon available. Do not blame me FOR
this deed. Indeed It Is not my fault. !
only pray that my Heavenly Father
will pardon me fully and comfort you
ali who are left behind. Goodbye all
and God blass you. (Signed) Earl
On the reverse side OF one OF the
sheets he had written the following
note:
do not mourn for me and wish Tor
death. It ID something terrible to Kill
oneself. Try and forget me and live q
righteous life. We will meet again IN
heaven at the feet OF the blessed
Christ. Signed Earl"
Wa. Financially Involved.
That young McNair's act may have
been precipitated by an effort to col.
lect debts he owed at Newhall deyei-
oped when the wounded boys body
was carried into his home. Shortly boz
fore that time E. F. Brown an attorney
Of vinton had called at the McNair
home to see Darl. His visit was for
the purpose Of trying to collect claim
for $3.50, held by the Newhall Savings
Bank.
Mr.. Brown said later that the claim
represented borrowed money and other
bills the latter of which had been
turned over to the bank. Brown came
to the house inqutring for Earl and
found him. He talked with the young
man few minutes about the payment
OF the claim and Earl told Brown to so
into the house and see his mother and
father. -
When the sons body WAS brought to
the house Mr.. and MrV. McNair had
Just signed note for $3.50 to satisfy
the Newhai! Banks claim.
Young McNair was 20 years OF age
and he is printer by trade. He had
worked In Montour and other places In
that vicinity. In addition to his par.