Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1919-07-30
Liston K. Bagley Fires
Bullet Into Head At
His Home
IN BAD HEALTH AND
MIND UNBALANCED
Wife In Next Room
Hears Shot And Runs
To Neighbors

DESOT0, July 30--Liston X. Bag
ley, member of the well-known Bag
ley family of this neighborhood died
at his home here at an early hour this
morning from the effects of gunshot
wound in the head, fired by his own
hand at about II o'clock last night.
The funeral was held at A o'clock
this afternoon, with burial in the De-
Soto cemetery.
MIR. Bagley's suicide came as the
result of years of i'll health, and mem
bers If his family say, periodical men
tai arrangement. The news Of his
death created little surprise here as
he was known to have made threats
recently to Jake his own life.
AS an angle of the tragedy was
family trouble. Mr.. Bagley, who had
been divorced some II or II years
ago, had been sued twice within the
last year by his present wife, the
first suit having been Withdrawn
without hearing and the second re-
naming at this time on the Superior
court docket at Americus undispos-
ed of. However, he had recently been
living in the same house with Mrs.
Bagley, who is also postmaster here,
and their young son, Charles Bagley,
Jr., aged about 10 years.
In Adjoining Rooms
Mr. and Mrs. Bagley Were in ad-
Joining rooms in their home last night
at the time of the tragedy. Mr.. Bag
lev had retired, but Mrs. Bagley was
still up in the next room attending
10 some household matters. She SAID
after the shooting that she heard
Mr.. Bagley leave his bed and go 10
the dresser and heard him tear a
piece of paper. Shortly afterward sne
heard a shot fired in the room. Fear
ing to enter the room, she ran to the
home of Gus Luke, next door. MT
Inke returned with her to lnyestl-
gate, and they found Mr.. Bagley ly-
ing across a bed with bullet wound
lust above the temple and a pistol
hv his side. On the dresser were serb
bled a few words on the piece OF
paper which Mrs. Bagley Aays she
heard him tear. The note read:
"This world is very, very dark
cod hva Charles. Jr.. and every
body"
Although surgical aid was imme-
diatelv called, he lived only about
four hours, and did not regain con-
sciousness.
A. Tempestuous Life
Mr., Bagley's life had been rather
tempestuous in recent years. Last
March 6, his brother, George Bagley'
of DeSoto, made application to Ordl-
nary Cobb, at Americus, for a writ
of lunacy against him, but the ordl-
nary refused to grant the writ, know
inq the man against whom it was
sought and declaring in advance his
belief that he was not insane, Two
days later peace warrant was sworn
out against him and he was held in
the county Jail by Sheriff Harvey for
three days, following which the case
was dismissed and he returned home.
He had been there most of the time
ever since. Mrs. Bagley was named as
one of the witnesses for him and this
is believed by some to have played
part in having the peace warrant
case dropped at that time.
Mr.. Bagley at one time was in the
mercantile business here and fairly
but a few years ago he
disposed of his business and is said
to have turned the proceeds over to
Mrs. Bagley. Since then he had been
an insurance agent.
Besides his wife, who is daugh-
ter of ]. j. Wilson, county commits
sioner, and his son, Mr.. Bagley is