Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1918-02-04

Private William II. Bowman. aged so
Of this city, member Of Company H
One Hundred Stxty-third depot brig
ade, stationed at Camp Dodge. commit
( tee suicide Saturday by shooting him
! self thru the head with an automatic
! revolver News OF the tragedy came in
/ a Telegram. 10 the Times Repu olican
! from the Associated Press late Satur-
day afternoon. Another message came
10 the young mans parents, Mr.. and
Mrs. William J. Bowman, sol Arson
street
No motive FOR the act has been de-
terntned as yet unless il was due 10
dependency. At Camp Dodge Il was
said that apparently Bowman had been
IN good spirits, but when ne vas here
week ago Sunday, 70 see his parents,
il was said by relatives that the young
man seemed respondent. Capt. Ira
Wight. commanding the company OF
which Bowman was member said
over the telephone that Bowman had
not been acting quite himself, and to
relatives Of the young man said that
his visit home q week ago was with
OUT lc2NS, N!CH .IlA4GANCI L!laL .IS W -
not himself.
Uses Captains Revolver.
Bowman was employed by Captain
Wight 20 care for his room. and il was
in this way that he got hold Of the
captains revolver. He then went 10
his barracks, ard after writing note
went into the boiler room and put a
bullet thru his brain.
The note Vas addressed to his COM
handing Officer, but Captain Wight
SAYS i consisted OF disconnected sem
fences. The body was found about a
half hour after the tragedy by a cook
at the ordnance base depot.
Board Investigates Case.
The T.-R this morning received the
following concerning the Investigation
OF the death TO De conducted:
Des Mo!Hcs. Feb. "A board Of Of
fcers at Camp Dodge IS investigating
,he circumstances of the death OF Pr
vatc William Bowman, OF Marshall
town, who committed suicide by shoot
ing himself thru the head with re-
yo!ve-. Adherence to military cour-
tesy prevents giving out details OF the
tragedy until full report Is made.
note explaining his action. This IS
withheld by the military authorities.
According 10 several Of his friends
Private Bowman apparently was in
good spirits. 1t is reported ne used a
revolver owned by an officer, which
had been laid down in officers quar-
tiers where the soldier had been detail
ed for certain tasks.
Was Native Of City.
Young Bowman was a native Of this
! city. where he was born Oct. ], 1887.
| He was a ,nolder by trade. He was one
of the second contingent Of ninety to
| 20 to the cantonment from this city on
Sept. 10, 1917.
! Surviving the young man, in addition
10 his parents are three brothers and
! TWO sisters. They are James J. Bow
man, who is a member of Company L.,
Thirty first United States infantry,
now stationed at Fort Mills, Corregida
island, P. l.; Charles and Harry Bow
man, and Florence and Katherine Bow
man, who live at home.
| Funeral Tuesday Afternoon.
| Rowmans body was brought to this
city Sunday night in charge Of Harry
| Bowman and his uncle, ". H. Strouse,
| Of Oskaloosa, the latter a brother OF
Mrs. Bowman. The body was taken
| TO the Bowman home.
Funeral services vii be held from
the German Evangelical church, of
which Bowman was a member at 2: 80
Tuesday ftnnoon, burial following in
Riverside. A prayer service at the
Bowman home viii precede the service
| at the church.