The Belding banner-news. (Belding, Mich.) 1918-1973, 1920-08-18
WELL KNOWN
BUSINESS man
SHOOTS HIMSELF
PROPRIETOR OF ORLEANS TEL
EPHONE AND LIGHTING SYS-
TENS COMMITS SUICIDE

Word reached this city Friday
evening that Sherwood Noddins, for
practically all his life resident OF
Orleans. had committed suicide by
shooting himself In the barn at the
rear of his home some time during
that afternoon. Nothing had been
seen of Mr.. Noddins since the after
noon. but he was not missed until 1t
began to get dusk and the electric
lights in the village, of which sys-
tenn he was the proprietor, failed to
come on at the usual time when an
inquiry was made that his rash act
was discovered.
Gene Hoppough, son of Sheriff, ,
Mark Hoppough, went to the Nod
dins home to see what was wrong.
Mrs. Noddins was suspicious that all
was not as it should be and told Mr..
Hoppough so. The later was direct
ed to the barn where he was told Mr..
Noddins undoubtedly was. The barn
door was locked, but on going thru
a window Mr.. Hoppough came upon
the body where it lay as it had fallen
when the fatal shot was made.
Mr.. Noddins had taken a single
barrelled shotgun and had manipu-
lated it in such way that by push
ing a stick against the trigger ha
could discharge it. He had held his
neck over the muzzle of the gun and
fired it. His death could scarcely
have been other than instantaneous.
A broken rope, found hanging from
a rafter gave mute evidence that
Mr.. Noddins had undoubtedly tried
this method and had found it unsuc-
cessful and had then decided on using
the run. Neighbors stated that he
had been despondent for some time
and that he had attempted to take
his life on two previous occasions but
had keen prevented in his efforts to
do away with himself.
Coroner Boynton and Sheriff Hop
pough, of Ionia, went out to Orleans
Immediately on being notified of the
tragedy and the body was taken back
to Ionia where it was prepared for
burial.
Mr.. Noddins had lived, as we stat
ed before, for practically his entire
life in Orleans. He owned fine farm
near there and also was the owner of
the Easton Independent Telephone
Co., serving many farmers in Orleans
district with telephone service. He
also owned the Orleans electric light
ing system. At other times he had
been interested in manufacturing
ladders and in buying produce.
No reason, other than that his
mental condition has not been as it
should have been for some time, can
be ascribed as the cause for his act
his financial affairs having been de-
clared to be in good shape.
Funeral services were held from
his late home Sunday afternoon at
two O'Clock, Rev. p. Ray Norton Off
ciating and burial was in Orleans
cemetery.
Robert Sherwood Noddins, aldest
son of Thomas and Betsey Ann Nod
dins, was born in Berlin township,
Ionia county, Mich. March 9, 1865,
where he spent his boyhood days.
The remaining DAYS of his life were
spent mostly in public service, he was
man of sterling honesty.
He died August II. 1920 at his
home in the village of Orleans. In
the year 1885. he was married to
Martha f. Gulliver, who died July
16, 1895, to this union was born one
daughter, Mable f.
In 1896 he was married again to
Amelia Woodbridge. To this union
were born two sons. Maurice Robert
who died May %, 1906 and Raymond
W.. who with his wife. daughter,
Mrs. Berthold Chickering. four grand
children, a sister. Mrs. Emma Com
stock and one brother, William Nod
dins. with many other relatives and
friends are left to mourn his untime-
ly death.