Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1914-11-27
oRAN c. LASWELL, AGED 20, SUP
POSED TO HAVE COMMITTED
SUICIDE, AS THREATENED.
FOUND DEAD WITH BULLET
HOLE IN RIGHT TEMPLE
Body Discovered by Workmen in o..
flee Building Of LasweiI & Bursher'
Contractors Erecting Y. M. G. A.
LasweIl Employed as Timekeeper =
Father Is Member Of Firm.

Oran C. Laswell, aged 90, son of X. l..
keeper for his fathers firm OF Las
well & Burgher building contractors,
was found dead in the Office bui!oinS
| of the firm across the street from the
~. NJ. c. a. building the builders are
erecting at about O'Clock this morn
: ing. There was bullet hole IN MS
right temple and all information OBJ
tainable indicates that the boy Killed
himself.
The body was cold, and from what
is known of the young mans actions
Thursday evening it is presumed that
he committed suicide not later than
8 o'clock Coroner +. II. Boucher was
this morning arranging for an inquest
to be held at the Simkins & Estel un-
dertaking parlors this afternoon.
Wants to Clear UP Details.
There are no clues that show that
Laswel did not kill himself as he
threatened to do Thursday evening,
and in order to clear up certain details
Dr. Boucher decided to examine few
witnesses before jury.
Laswell was found by mortar mixer
who was the first to reach the job this
morning. The boy, fully dressed, was
lying on his face on the floor. foot
or more from his right hand lay 81
caliber revolver. One cartridge had
been fired. The other Eve chambers
kept in a desk in the shack that is
used for an office. The bullet had en-
tered the right temple. well back Of the
In, HI,
quickly.
Threatened to Kill Himself.
| Nothing had been left by Lasweli
| saying that he had killed himself or
intended to. but early Thursday night
he told Miss Lillian East. 3O4 South
First street, daughter of Mr.. and Mrs.
Henry East. to whom he has been pay
ing attention, that he would kill him
self. He even threatened to do so on
the porch Of the East home, accord
ing to what Miss East told the cor
oner this forenoon.
| What Miss East thought was idle,
boastful talk proved probably to be a
threat that soon was to be carried into
execution AS far as is known Las
we'll was not seen after Miss East left
him on the porch and went into the
house.
Had Been Rejected.
The young man had been calling on
Miss East since last summer. She
had not approx of his attentions,
and her disapproval reached the point
Thursday night that she told him to
leave her and the house. When he did
not do so she went indoors. The
young couple started up town about s
/ o clock. At or near the corner of Cen
ter and Linn streets Laswel, in trying
TO force his attentions on Miss Eas.
caught her by the throat, she told
/ Coroner Boucher. She broke loose and
returned home. Laswell followed her
and rejoined her on the porch.
4 There she told him to go away and
mot come again.
I'll kill myself. I'll shoot myself
six times right here on your porch
| ne threatened, according to Miss Easts
statement to Dr. Boucher. Miss Eas,
then went into the house
Had Been Drinking.
According to the informa ton the
coroner obtained from Miss East her
! objections to the young man were tina,
he drank, and that he had been drink
ing Thursday evening. Young Las
well is described by those who knew
him well to be warm hearted. kind
and courteous, but with tendency te
be a little wild. He had been en-
ployed on the 7. NJ. c. A. job since
the building was started. His mother
a sister, and a brother live in Kansas
City, Kan. The father has been mott.
fed and is expected to reach here
probably tonight.
Jury Selected For Inquest.
Sheriff j. G. Edgar selected A. C
Sharp, w. F. keontz and John c. Whit,
as jurors for the inquest, which wa
set for 2 o'clock this afternoon Tn
following five witnesses were sub
poenaed for the coroner: Miss Lillian
East, Clark Griffin, John Ward Johl
Bower, and s. NJ. Newland Griffin
Ward and Bower are workmen EN-
iployed at the Y. NJ. G. A. building
4