Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1916-02-03
AGED Man A SUICIDE
GerardO Compobasso Ends Life
by Shooting Himself in Head.
ipcurabiy III with Brisht's Disease and
Unable to work, Dcnth seemed
Better Than life Of Suf-
fcring.

Gcrardo tompobasso, an aged Italian,
and instantly killed himself about three
o'clock Sunday afternoon with 3S-
alibre revolver. taking that way out of
ifc in preference to remaining to allow
Brights disease to run it's course. He
was known to have been in a Respondent
mood and had told many of his neghbors
that it was his intention to take his life
ra her than he unable to work
Compobasso had been a sufferer with
Brights disease for about seven years arl
last summer was taken to the Mary
Fletcher hospital for treatment He work.
ed at the mill in Winooski up to about the
first of November, when he was Obliged
to give UP steady employment. He lived
with ono Of his sons, however, and had
large family about him who we're willing
to contribute to the support of him and
his wife. The last few weeks his condi-
ton had grown much worse, his legs hav-
ing swollen SO that he was able to walk
but little and his heart being in a condi-
ton whore breathing was almost impos-
sblc. Ills physician had told him he
might he helped but never cured. one Of
his grandsons took him out for very
short walk Saturday night. hut the man
became impa tent and came back saying
he did not like to walk out with guard
and it is now thought by his family that
he wished to 20 out and do away with
himself then.
No one witnessed the shooting. His
daughter-in-law. with whom he lived, first
reached the man after he had committed
suicide. She was sleeping in bedroom on
the opposite side of the kitchen from the
room i'll which the old man was sitting
and she was awakened by sound which
she supposed was made by a stone thrown
against the window pane by a child out
side. She ran into the other room and
there she found the old man dead, sitting
with smoking revolver in his right
hand, his head resting back against the
wall with blood strea ming down his face
from a wound in his temple.
The man took his life with his own
revolver. a double action IS calibre Smith
and Wesson. 1t was five chambered
gun and when taken from the dead
mans hand contained three cartridg es
and one shell. one of the chambers not
having been loaded lie had kept the
revolver in a pail hanging from the CELL
ing up to a few weeks ago when it dis
appeared.
DR. A. 5. e. Hill. the physician who
has been attending Compobasso. was
Immediately summoned, but death had
resulted instantaneously. A. p. Lavigne
was notified and the body was removed
to his undertaking establishment in Wi
nooski. Chief of Police Z. j. Russell
and Health Officer Nolan were also in
formed and went to the scene of the
suicide. The bullet entered the head in
about the center of the right temple and
passed through to the back of the left
ear. where it was held only by the carti-
| lage. When it was removed it was
found in ball shape, having nattened
out. The man had evidently pressed the
gun TO the side of his head, as the skin
about the edge of the wound where the
ball entered was badly burned by the
powder.
tompobasso was born in Italy - years
ago and came to this country when a
young man. He is survived by his wife
and four children, There are three sons,
Frank. with whom he lived and Angelic
and John, who liz. in New York: and
one daughter. Mrs. SIENNA Bracello of
Chicago He is also survived by a num-
Der of grandchildren