The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1914-10-16
ILLINOIS STATE
OFFICIAL KILLS
SELF; NO CAUSE
PUZZLES ALL TO ACCOUNT FOR
SUICIDE OF SECRETARY OF
STATE, HARRY
WOODS.
PRIMARY CANDIDATE FOR
SENATORIAL NOMINATION
Was Known as Conservative Trader
on Chicago Board of Trade-Body
Discovered by Wife Who Be-
comes Alarmed at Protract-
ed Absence of Husband.

Springfield, ILL.,, Oct. 14.-Secretary
of State Harry Woods, one of the
Democratic senatorial candidates at
the September primary and former
operator on the Chicago board of
trade, killed himself here His body,
with bullet wound in the forehead
and pistol in the right hand, was.
found in a garage at the rear of his
residence. The body was found by
Mrs. Woods, who had become alarmed
at his absence from home without any
word of explanation as to where he
had gone.
Entrance Is Forced.
Going to the garage Mrs. Woods
found her husbands bunch of keys
locked on the inside. There are two
small rooms at the rear of the garage
-one a tool room and the other the
chauffeur's bedroom. Mrs. Woods call
ed a neighbor, Walter A. Towns, and
together they forced entrance to the
building.
No note of explanation was left by
Secretary Woods and the only thing
which gave any indication of a pos.
/ sible cause for the deed was a bundle
Of papers, showing extensive dealings
in grain through Chicago brokerage
house.
Suicide Carefully Planned.
There is evidence that the secretary
carefully planned suicide.
Mrs. Woods could assign no motive
for her husbands act. She said she
/ knew nothing of his business affairs
News of the suicide caused much ex.
element here.
Governor Dunno made the following
statement regarding the rumors of a
shortage:
Upon being appraised of the death
of the late secretary of state, Mr.. Har.
~ Woods, and after conference with
the assistant attorney general, or
dered his Office closed, this being a
legal holiday, and requested the state
auditor, as precautior and in the
interests of Mr.. Woods sureties and in
coming secretary of state, to make an
examination of the books of the Office
Il had no reason and have no rea.
son to believe that there is any short
age in the finances of the Office or any
irregularities. Four assistant auditors
have been working and have SO far
found his books and accounts regular"
A Successful Trader.
James o. Monroe, private seer etary
to Mr.. Woods, and other employees OF
the firm, expressed their opinion that
there is no foundation for the story
that Secretary Woods was involved
financially.
"Mr. Woods has always been a
trader" said Mr.. Monroe, "and one
of the most successful ones on the
board. However, he had not been op.
Grating to any extent since taking the
Office of secretary of state and | am
positive this had nothing to do with
his suicide. The last deal he ma le
that know of was some six months
ago. This lost him half cent or so a
bushel, but the loss was trivial"
A Conservative Trader.
Chicago.-Harry Woods, secretary Of
board of trade members as conserva
tive trader He rarely deaf in lots
over 5000 bushels. it is said. One Of
them, who contributed to Woods cam
paign fund when he was elected secre
tary of state, said that, while his for.
tune was very modest, he spent money
freely in his endeavor TO obtain TIE
senatorial nomination in the recen.
primaries and was surprised and bit
terly disappointed when the returns
showed how slight chance he had.