The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1913-05-17
PIERCE SAYS HOUCk
COMMITTED SUICIDE
Verdict of Coroner on Death
of Centerville Man Filed
Today.
NO ONE HEARD SHOT
Peculiar Feature of Testi-
mony Given-lll Health
Was Cause.
NO ONE HEARD SHOT

The verdict of Coroner Pierce was
filed this morning in the death of Col.
Isaac Houck, Sc, of Centerville, stat
ing that the man died from gun shot
self-inflicted with suicidal intent on
May 2.
Testimony was taken from the wild
ow, Mrs Adelaide Houck, Richard
Houck, an adopted son, Mrs. Joseph
ing Martin, Chas, Randle, Clayton
Wright and Larkin l.. Lemons.
Though it was rumored that Houck' s
suicide was the result of domestic
troubles, according to the testimony
of those examined, Houck ended his
life because of ill health and financial
trouble. Mrs. Houck testified that her
husband had been in ill health for
more than a year and had grown des-
pondent, had insomnia and had often
threatened to end his life. Mrs. HoUck
I could only go to sleep and never
awaken" All her attempts to cheer
him were of no avail, she testified.
On the morning of May 2, Mr.. Houck
went to his home. At 10 o'clock he said
he would have to go to business es-
tablishment as he had forgotten some,
thing. Mrs. Houck said she persuaded
him not to leave the house as he was
ill and she said she would get a mes
senger He consented and she left the
house to get boy and on returning
to the house went to his room. She
found her husbands body lying on the
floor. She saw blood stains on the
floor and the gun lying against the
body and Immediately ran from the
house calling neighbors. Il told you
this would happen" cried Mrs. Houck
She asked that the body not be touch
ed until examined by the coroner.
When Coroner Pierce and Prosecu
tor Keller arrived the body was found
in about the same position as when
discovered. The muzzle of a double
barrel shot gun had been placed in his
n ,uth and the right barrel discharged
Blood stains where the shot emerged
and cut on the nose and cheek caus.
ed by falling were the only external
signs of injury. The bones of the lower
jaw, the skull, face, frontal and perie
tai bones were broken.
A peculiar feature of the suicide is
| that none of the persons who submit
| ted testimony testified that they heard
! the report of the gun. The gun was
brought from Houck's farm April %
| by Houck who obtained it from his
tenant, Larkin Lemmons. He said he
| wanted to shoot cats which were both
ering his chickens. No chickens were
owned by him at that time.
On the day Houck obtained the CUR
Lemmons testified that he appeared te
be weak physically and mentally. He
seemed unduly agitated and worried
over damage done tot the farm by the
recent flood
Richard Houck said he knew of nc
domestic trouble which would have lee
his father to commit suicide. His tes
timony substantiated that of Mrs
| Houck relative to his fathers il
health and mental condition.
Charles Randle was working neal
the Houck home when attracted by
the cries of Mrs. Houck after she hae
discovered her husbands body Randle
was one of the first to examine the
| body He testified that Houck's righ
hand was on the trigger of the sho1
gun and that one trigger of the CUR
was sprung and the other in an up
right position and ready to be dis
charged.