The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1917-06-03
Milwaukee Superintendent
Shoots Himself; Friends
Find Reason.
COMPLAINTS WORRIED
Dead Man Had Been "On
Carpet at Tacoma Just
Before Self-killing.
CONTINUED From Page One)

lara ola not appear o. 'ii7
employees called up the Elks' temple y
learn what was the trouble. MI Jonn-
son made the discovery OF the suieIa.
at II o'clock. Mr.. Willard was in his
he'd on his back, his head propped De-
tween two pillows. his face wearing
Quiet. natural expression. A poor OF
blood. a small bullet hole In his righs
temple Just back Of the foreheao ana
about an inch over the eye. ana "a
calibre Colt automatic revolver lying
at his side told of the suicide.
A note in MIR. Wizards handwriting
Law on the table near the bed. IN a
firm hand was written in penci'
"Please do not hold an inquest over
my remains. Give my death as que
publicity as possible.-F. +. willard.
Everything in the room had been
prepared for the death. His ciothihs
was hung up. with all the money aho
yaluables taken from the pockets ana
placed in a steel vault in one OF ms
trunks. The key TO the trunk was IN
the lock, and inside the trunk was a
letter to his daughter. Miss gladys
willard containing the key to the steel
box. The contents of the letter were
not divulged Miss Willard would not
be seen yesterday. So that entrance
TO the room might be easy. Mr.. Will
lard. contrary to his UNMARRIED habit,
had left the door unlocked. MIR Will
lard made out his will three weeks
ago. 1t was witnessed by two of the
employees under him on the Milwaukee.
Just when the shot was fired is not
definitely known, for no one heard II.
The body was cold when it was found,
and II is thought that the tragedy oc-
surred between and 4 a. IN. AIR.
Willard had talked with George Hill.
Milwaukee train dispatcher. until 1880
o'clock that night Since his death the
railroad men have put together de-
tails Of his actions on the previous
day. which seemed to show he was
thinking of suicide. He left Mr.. Hill
without saying his customary good
night.
The death was complete surprise
and puzzle to his daughter. Gladys
and his friends. Miss Willard is the
only relative in the city. She was al
Lolo seeing after affairs of the county
library, of which she is in charge, yes
terday morning, and was grief stricken
by the news which brought her bach
to the city. She could give no cause
for her fathers action.
n. Fl. Mason. local agent for the
Northern Pacific. who was we'll ac-
quainted with Mr.. Willard. having
II.
superintendent of the Rocky Mountain
division of the Northern Pacific
could think of no other reason for the
act than the strain of the troubles re-
sultinc from the floods. Mr.. Masor
and wife had accompanied Mr.. Willard
and daughter to a picture show Mon
day and at that time he appeared In
his normal mood.
r. H. Goddard. district claim agen,
for the Northern Pacific. a former as.
sociate of Mr.. Willards discounts the
idea that worry over the high water
difficulties caused the suicide. MIR
Willard was superintendent of this di.
vision of the Northern Pacific during
the extreme flood of 1908, when much
more trouble was caused than this
year. Mr.. Goddard was with him a
that time and says that he was coo
and calm during all the disasters that
then occurred and did not worry inor.
dinately. He says that while Mr.. vii.
lard was a reserved man, he was not
gloomy nor given to melancholy
When working he attended strictly tt
business, but in his off hours he mad,
a good companion. This view Is in.
dorsed by other railway mon who have
been associated with Mr.. Willard.
Mr.. WIZARDS body will be taken t,
Tacoma today on the Milwaukee. 70,
interment in the Tacoma cemetery
The ceremony will be in charge of thu
Elks' lodge Of which he was a member
1t will take place on June 5. Mis-
Willard and Mr. and Mrs c. T.. John
son will accompany the body to Taco
ma.
Besides his daughter Mr.. Wi,lar,
Is survived by his mother, who live.
at Warsaw, New York. His wife die,
number of years ago. Miss Willar,
intends to return later to her worl
In Missoula.
Mr.. Willard rose from the ranks Il
railway work. He began on this di
vision of the Northern Pacific in 1888
rs q switchman. Later he became :
trafnman, being brakeman of the trail
ON which Mr.. Johnson was conducte,
He then moved west on tho raiIwa,
and was q conductor on the divisio
west of Ellensburg, Wash. In 1897 h
was promoted to trainmaster of tn
division out of Tacoma. with office
In that city. Ten years later in 100
he was again promoted. this time t
superintendent of the division on whic
he had started his railway career.
In the fall of 1908 he left the North
ern Pacific. after trouble with the roa
for the Milwaukee, becoming trair
master on one of the divisions
Washington. III 1918 he was mao
superintendent of the Missoula div
sion Of that road, where he has bee
stationed since that time. Railroa
men say that he did much to strength
en- the division and to increase the tor
mage hauled.
Mr. Willard was born on Augu.
l6, 1865, in Warsaw. Wyoming coun
". New York.
Sheriff Green and Coroner Lucy in
igated the room in which tn