Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1917-09-24
RETIRED FARMER, pEsPoNDENT
OWING TO ILL HEALTH, PUTS
BULLET THRU BODY.
DIES SEVEN HOURS LATER
WITHOUT REALIZING ACT
Evades Watehfuness Of Wife and
Arises at O'Clock Sunday Morn.
ing to Fire Fatal Shot-Feared Lin
serins illness Due to Pulmonary Tu-
bercuiosis-Fuusrai Tuesday.

Fearing a lingering illness due to
pulmonary tuberculosis with which he
afflicted. D. Lee B!rks aged 40, 61o
North First avenue a retired farmer
and former well-known resident Of
T. - .er Creek township, ended his life
Sun lay by shooting himself thru the
body with 4 S2-caliber revolver.
Mr. Birks had been respondent for
several months, On May 10 he had
undergone q surgical operation FOR
cancer OF the large bowel. For time
he grew better but two months ago the
pulmonary trouble developed and the
man grew more respondent
Mrs. Eirks had feared that her hus-
band would attempt 70 end his life as
his dependency had begun 10 tell on
his mind. An OLD revolver that had
been around the house was hidden in
an ouIbuilding after the cylinder had
been removed and placed in an out-of-
the way corner
Finds n id6en Part.
Saturday Mr.. RjrAs found the hidden
part Of The revolver and Mrs. Birks
came spoD MIN az the shed where the
tool chest was kept Then. however.
the wife did not know that the missing
cylinder Of the weapon had been dis
covered.
Feeling safe in her mind over a re-
vo!ver without a, cylinder Mrs. Birks
did no; worry over the incident. Sat
urday night Mr.. Birks wanted his wife
sTr7fr hA
SO. leaving him sitting in = chair.
About o'clock Mr.. Birks lay down on
the he'd. AID, after her husband had be-
come quiet, and supposedly was asleep,
Mrs. BirkS fell asleep. Mrs. Birss
avCke at o'clock and found her hus-
hand gone. The wife arose and heard
q noise in the Kitchen. She went to-
ward the back part OF the house, and
could see her husbands form IN the
back yard. She called 10 him, and the
answer was fash and report Of a
eyoIve-.
Wrests Gun From Husband.
Mrs. Birks ran TO her husbands
prcstrate form and wres1ed the gun
from him. The wife called 10 her son
Elmer and Fred Austin, q neighhor.
ward Mr. Btrks was carried into the
house. ard d. p P. Hansen, Vas Iaii-
Cd The physician found that Mr..
Birks had shot himself at a point about
three inches below the heart. and thai
probably ne was fatally wounded In
ternal he-nor-hagss caused death at
n O'Clock Sunday forenoon. Altho par
tally conscious ar Rir.ss diS not real
,ze TrsJ mad happened and thought
that some one had shot him. Coroner
A P Lynn, who was notified. inyesti-
gated the circumstances OF the shoot
ing. but held no inquest
Native of Timber Creek.
David Lee Birks was native OF
r !Triaf Creek township. where he was
born Oct -. 1858, d son OF the late
David Blrks. Nr. Rirks was reared in
his native township. and tarned there
until ne retired fifteen years ago and
moved 10 this city. On June 5, 1891, ne
was united II marriage with Miss LIZ
d-z Haskell The wife and the one.
son. Elmer 8. B!-ks- o. this city, sur-
y!ve
In Tr Bi-ss' fathers family one
5-uther, TWO half sisters, and a half
t7o,her are living. The own brother
Is Charles r Biras, Of Oklahoma City.
Okla TIE other children are Mrs. ".
4 Fuller. Of this city Mrs. JACK Alex
zn6e-. Of Ferguson; and Jerry B.rss.
OF Portland. Ore. Roland B:ras, an
ether half brother, died ten miles south
o. this city On Aug. %
Funeral Tuesday Afternoon.
Funeral services viii be held from
t7= S-z-= Street United Evangelical
church a. 2:3g Tuesday afternoon, n
charge Of gsv. c. G. Zs!gisr, Of the
Fret United Evangelical church The
cE4zgca VIII re open 70 friends AZ 40.
Burial E-ssi BE- IN Riverside.