The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1918-02-21
Tragic Death of Irwin Barnum


Spencer Brook farmer, was found ly-
ing dead in his home last Saturday
morning with gaping gunshot
wound in his head.
On Friday morning Mr.. Barnum was
at the home Of a neighbor, Louis Upp-
gren, and expressed himself as feeling
fine. He stated though that he was
at a loss to know how to make out
properly the returns on the Federal
income tax requirement. That was
the last time he was seen alive.
On Saturday morning Roy Stickney,
another neighbor, went to the Barnum
place to milk a cow-he and j the
deceased shared the milk--and : dis
covered that the morning chores had
been left undone. Upon entering the
house he was startled to find Mr.. Bar
mum lying dead on the bed in the livv--
ing room. Mr.. Stickney was SO sur
prised and shocked that he did, not
stop to notice details, but hurried out
and notified other neighbors. It APP
pears that the deceased had lain
across the bed, placed the muzzle of
q shotgun against his right temple
and with hooked stick had pulled the
trigger. The hole where the charge
entered was large enough for the in
sertion of a finger; the charge blew
off the top of his head and death must
have been instantaneous. The stick
with which he had discharged the gun
was found lying across his body and
the right hand uplifted as it was when
he pulled the trigger.
That the wound which caused Mr..
Barnum's instant death was self-in-
ficted while he was laboring under
mental alteration is plainly evident
from the following unsigned paper,
found on a blood-spattered table with
in a few feet of the bed upon which
the body was lying:
Boys, don't Judge me too harsh. I
am half insane from worry. Il Just
realize what I have done. It is, all
misunderstanding.
My Only Will.
My property all to go to Warren
and w. j. Barnum, as Rodney has plen-
ty and Wentworth good home. War
rem is sickly and w. j. Barnum has a
family to support. hereby appoint
Wellington King administrator of my
estate to sell and divide between War
rem and w. j. Barnum. Goodbye all.
May God forgive.
The above is proof positive that the
poor mans reason was unhinged
when he committed the rash act, for
he owned a good 21O-acre farm, we'll.
stocked and well managed, was a
bachelor in comfortable circumstances
and had nothing to worry over.
There were, no indications Of any!
struggle in the room where the body
was found. Nothing was displaced or
disturbed. A check payable to him
self, dated February IA, drawn on the
Security State Bank Of Princeton, and
q tobacco pouch containing $2.77 was
found on his person. He had evidently
been testing seed corn the day before,
for the testing utensils were found by
the stove. IS
A few days before the tragedy Mr..
Barnum was in Cambridge and at the,
county treasurer's office, in con-
versation with County Auditor Smith,
expressed some concern about his in
come tax returns. That tax return
seemed to prey upon his mind.
An inquest was deemed unnecessary
and the body was taken to the under
taking rooms Of Wilfred .. Oleson in.
Isanti, embalmed and prepared for
burial. The funeral will be held this
afternoon at 2 o'clock from the Swe-s
dish church in Spencer Brook and the.
remains will be inferred il the family