The circle banner. [volume] (Circle, Mont.) 1914-1939, 1923-11-09

SENSATIONAL END OF PROMIN.
ENT INSURANCE MAN OF
NORTHERN MONTANA
Put Bullet Through Brain in Fit OF
Dependency; Left am Estate Val
ued at $4,000, and a VIII Con-
tanning Peculiar Stipulations.

Surance and club man OF northern
Montana, who ended his life by
firing a bullet through his brain
in Great Falls few days ago, left
an estate estimated to be of value
in excess of $4,000. This fact
became known when, according to
instructions left in papers, which
he had prepared prior to his con-
templated suicide, a safety deposit
box in his bank was opened by the
authorities. This development pre-
cludes any financial reasons for
his sensational end.
The estate is in the form of cash
in banks, securities for money, bonds,
stocks, cash due on renewal prem
iums as they become due from the
Mutual Life Insurance company, and
other effects. The instrument is dat
ed January 81, 1928, and is witness
ed by G.. G.. Gregoire. 1t was found
on the top of mass of securities,
bonds and other papers in the safety
deposit box
Mr.. Woods body was found heaped
in corner of his garage at the rear
of the Lee Forest farage on First
avenue north, shortly before p. m.
Near him was found a .32 caliber
Smith & Wesson revolver, with which
he had shot himself through the
head. Blood from the wound had
run through the garage door into a
little pool on the alley entrance.
Mrs. M. A. Van Houten, friend
of the dead man, who lives at the
Foley hotel, near the scene of the
shooting, passed the garage on her
way to work at the Continental Oil
company's general office, saw the
pool and the police were summoned.
His body has been sent to Los An
geles for cremation, in accordance
with instructions found in his desk.
His will reads as follows:
This is the last will and testa-
ment of Mr.. Harrington Mead
Wood, made this twenty-seventh
day of January, A. D. one thousand
nine hundred and twenty-three, in
the city of Great Falls, county of
Cascade, state of Montana, as fol-
lows
I bequeath all my ready money,
cash in banks, securities for
money, bonds, stocks, cash due on
renewal premiums as they become
due from the Mutual Life Insur-
ance company of New York, goods
and chattels, office furniture and
all other parts of my real and per-
sonal estate and effects whatso-
ever and whosoever unto the fol-
lowing three persons, share and
share alike, viz: My brother,
Frederick w. Wood of Los Angel
es, California; my niece, Mary d.
Tufts of Los Angeles, California;;
and my nephew, Arthur w. Dick
inson, of San Diego, California, or
to their respective heirs, executors
or assigns, to and for their absol-
ute use and benefit, subject only
to the payment of my just debts,
funeral expenses and testamentary
expenses.
And 1 hereby appoint Mr.. Sam
uel B. Chase of Great Falls, county
of Cascade, state of Montana, my
executor of this my will, to serve
without bond, and hereby request
that three hundred dollars $4,000 l.;
be allowed him as compensation
therefor.
With an ample fortune, more in
act than his friends we're aware of,
nd an excellent business, Mr.. Wood t
lad nothing in a business or flnan- ,
iaI way to brood over, but it is
.nown that he did, and that his
rouble, trivial in way grew upon 9
is mind until he became convinced {
hat there was only one way out of :
and that by the revolver. One I
f the remarkable things in this con-
ection also is that Mr.. Wood never Il
ras hunter or fisherman, and never t
sed a rifle, shotgun or revolver, and q
believed to have purchased the
NTH e Wesson revolver with which
e killed himself for the very pur- t
ose to which it was put.
For a number of years past it has
cen noticed by friends that Mr..
food at times was very moody and
tciturn, and desired to be by him a
If, and it is now plain to them that g
Is brooding at times affected his n
ind to a greater or less degree, and
is believed that when he commit "
ID the rash act he was suffering r.
ON one of his temporary alteration O.
,ells. Fl
Heavily Insured i
The deceased was heavily insured, =
inks j. T. Owens, superintendent of y
tents for the Mutual Life. The poll ~
es aggregate more than $4,000, of II
hich most was carried in the New 4,
ork Mutual. About year ago the -
SIX in the latter company was $751; u
10, but it is thought that he allowed IN
vidends to be placed on additional
surance which will increase the or
tai. -
A postscript on the instructions III
und in Woods desk read: re
t'P. Sin case of my death by w
JCIDENT two policies will be found
this desk, one in the u S. Fidelity
AN & Guaranty Co., for $1,000, and III
Q in the Illinoic Commercial Mems hi
ISOLATION for $4,000" hi
A note telling of the instructions" A;
IS found near the car in the garage =,
which Mr.. Wood died. The in d
'uctions were dated October IL, w;
%.
Because the insurance named in
4 nOStSpripf ic parriad in aopidnnf A