The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1915-01-10
No Longer Credits Theory
That He Committed
Suicide
IDEA SECUTED BY
HOWARD GERRISH
Son Declines to Believe His Father
Committed Suicide -Carried $4,000
Insurance, $4,000 of Which
Was Nullified by Suicide

According to Howard Gerrish. the son
e Harry H. Gerrish. the local manager
Il the National Cash Register company.
Who was discovered about 1880 o'clock
Thursday night shot through the heart
n the bathroom of his home at 1920
Fourteenth avenu. south, his father did
lot commit suicide as was first reported.
The son maintains that his father died
rom an accidental discharge Of an old
Iistol
In signing the death certificate last
light Coroner Charles l. Spain stated
hat the deceased had come to his death
~ gunshot wound through the heart.
The coroner further wrote on the certi-
lcate that the manner in which Mr..
serrish had received his fatal wound
vas undetermined.
The remains of Mr.. Gerrish, aged 81
Fears, as well as that of his fatherin-
aw, DR.. B. r. McClanathan, will be
emit to Montgomery tomorrow morning
or interment by the Johns Undertaking
company.
At the j. B. Hayden residence, 1920
Fourteenth avenue. south, where the
serrishs lived, it was stated yesterday
hat Mrs. Gerrish was still suffering
from acute nervousness following the
tragedy last Thursday night. A trained
Nurse is in constant attendance
Statement From Coroner
After hearing several witnesses yes
erday afternoon and comforting at
length with Howard Gerrish, the cor
|ner made the following statement
.I have changed my mind regarding
he suicide theory in the death of H. III.
Perish. In all probability 1 will EN-
PANEL jury within the next three days
O go thoroughly into the affair.
Ever since the Gerrish death was
eported to me / have been investigat-
ing and as yet have been unable to un
oyAr anything resembling a motive
.hN the deceased should commit suicide
The police do not credit the suicide the
Try l am positive that it was not a
uiside."
III conversation with reporter oil
lie Age-Herald and with Coroner
,havles l.. Spain, the son. Howard Ger
kita who arrived in the city yester-
sy morning to attend to the funeral
arrangements of his father refused te
believe that his father had committed
ugctde. He said:
MY father must nave shot himself
ckSdentally OF that there is no doubt
n INV mind. He had no business trou-
bles-in fact was in better financia
hape at the time of his death than al
nv other time in his life. His books
lad Just been examined by travelling
uditor of the National Cash Register
Company and found to be in excellent
hape and the district manager OF the
National Cash Register company had
listed the city a few days ago lust
O tell my father that since the out
,reak OF the European war Birming
,am had shown more sales of registers
han any other southern office. 1T was
high compliment to the business abil-
ty of my father
Home Life Ideal
''As to my fathers home life, it was
deal. He and my mother were pals, ans
far as l can remember, ] have never
heard cross word passed between m,
PARENTS My father was in the prime Of
life, IN the best of health, with gooe
business and more than ample funds, ano
his friends all scout the idea of suicide
incidentally, my father was insured fol
52 900. of which $4,000 was in acciden
policies, which in case of suicide woult
be nuliificd. My father was too good Z
business man to have paid insurance
premiums for SO many years on acciden
policies and then to kill himself with thu
knowledge that by committing suicide hi:
policies we're forfeited. My father ais,
,arried 5000 life Insurance which would
lot be effected by either accidental dealt
r. suicide.
II also recall my fathers views OH sui
;ide. A few weeks ago a very prominen
nan shot himself through the head ant
Father, ON reading the account of thu