Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1921-05-27
r. III. WHEELER ENDS LIFE
BY SHOOTING AT HOME
IN ". RIVERSIDE DRIVE
|DESPONDENT TIE
OVER ILLNESS,
DOCTOR SAYS
Millionaire Manufacturer Had
Been Sufferer for Some
Time.
FIRED TWICE INTO HEAD

AAGGO N1AG LIN " 0LAD
Frank H. Wheeler, millionaire
manufacturer and sportsman, cons
mitted suicide at o'clock this morn
ing by blowing the top of his head
off with two shots from a double-
barreled shotgun, in his palatiaI
home, 'Hawkeye," in West Riverside
Drive, north of Thirtieth street.
Mr.. Wheeler was best known as q
former associate of Carl G. Fisher in
the organization and operation Of the
Indianapolis Motor Speedway, but he
was no longer connected with the
speedway organization. He was presi-
dent Of the Wheeler-Schebler Car
buretor Company and Of the Langsen<
! camp-Wheeler Brass Works. He also
was director Of the Stutz Fire En-
gine Company.
A butler, Walter Freeman. heard the
shot fired ana ran to a bathroom from
whence the sound came. When he arr
rived Mr. w heeler was dead.
Mr.. Wheeler had gone to the bathroom
adjoining his bedroom and taken a bath.
He then put on his bathrobe, sat on a
chair and shot himself.
DR.. D. L. Kahn, 1889 North Meridian
street, who had been attending Mr..
Wheeler for some time, was called. He
told Coroner Paul Z. Robinson, who I'M
vestigated, that Mr.. Wheeler had been
suffering for some time from diabetes
and that he believed he was despondens
on this account.
ALSO TREATED FOB
INJURED FOOT.
! In a statement made later Mr.. Kahn
said Mr.. Wheeler had been confined to
| his bed for some time. He said he was
not only suffering from diabetes, but that
| he had injured his foot and gangrene
| had set in. He said Mr.. Wheeler had
| been melancholy for some time, but that
he had given no indication that ne cons
| templated suicide.
Mr.. Wheeler was 81. Surviving him are
a widow, one son, Douglass II. Wheeler,
his mother. who lives IN Iowa; brother
in Oklahoma. and a stepson Fred Chaps
man. Of Richmond.
! Mr.. and Mrs. Wheeler were the only
! members of the family st home at she
/ time of the suicide. The son is III
| French Lick. hut was immediately sent
| for. Mr.. Wheeler's brother and mothex
/ also were sent for.
! Mr.. Wheeler had been prominent II
! business in Indianapolis for many years.
/ He came into most prominence in con-
nection with the automobile racing game
/ with which he was associated for soma
/ time.
/ His home is one OF the finest in In
| dianapolis. 1t is near the home Of Mr..
/ Fisher and is one of q number of
estates on Riverside drive which has
| won it the appelation Of ''millionaire's
row"
| Mr.. wheeIer's death served to recall to
| the minds Of many the suicide of Sey~
mour Avery, secretary treasurer of the
! Wheeler -Shebler Carburetor Company,
last fall. Mr.. Avery had long been q
close business associate Of Mr.. Wheeler.
CAME TO HOosTER
| CAPITAL IN 1904.
! Mr.. Wheeler was born in MancheSter.
Iowa, October "a, 1864. He lived in CALI
fornia for some time and in 1904 came
to Indianapolis and engaged in the
| queensware busin SIS as 6 travelling sales~
man.
About eighteen years ago he met
/ George Schebler who had invented ons
Of the first successful carburetors and
the two started the manufacture Of the
outfits in a small room in Alabama street
near Washington street. Mr.. SchebleR
had charge of the production end whiIs
Mr.. Wheeler managed the office details,
The company had a hard struggle for a
time, but finally orders from some wen
known cars gave it a start and it pros
pered until the company became one Of
the best known manufactures Of it's
| kind in the world.
About six years ago Mr.. Wheeler pur>
chased his partners interest in the bust
ness, paying, it is reported, 81 O00, 600 for
the share.
Aside from being interested in the In~
dianapolis Motor Speedway Mr.. Wheeler
also built a motor race course In NIin~
/ neapolis.
! He was a member Of the CoIumbfa
Club, the Scottish Rite and the Shrine
and was one of the founders Of the In-
| dianapolis Athletic Club.