Jasper County Democrat, Volume 11, Number 69, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 30 January 1909 — ANOTHER SUICIDE. [ARTICLE]

ANOTHER SUICIDE.

O. M. Cooper of Fair Oaks Shoots Himself. A 32-CALIBER REVOLVER IS USED And Death Was Evidently Instantenous—Left Note Saying That He Was Tired of Life. TSJUie M. Cooper, a bachelor, aged fbout 44 years and a highly respected farmer, shot himself in the right temple with a 32-caliber revolver at his farm in Barkley tp., 11 miles northeast of Rensselaer, at about 6 o’clock Tuesday evening, death being practically instantenous.Nl Mr. Coopqr had lived at Fair Oaks with his mother the past year, his father, John Cooper, living out on the farm, and “keeping bach.” Ollie expected to get out on the farm himself in a few days and only last week had bought a team to take out there. He was out to the farm Tuesday with a load of goods and in the evening he and his father and Julius Raska, a neighbor who had dropped in, all ate supper together. After supper he made an excuse of getting some tobacco to go into another room where his father kept a loaded revolver. He then went out of doors, and not returning his father and Mr. Raska went out ih about a half hour with a lantern and accompanied by a hee what was the trouble that he did not return. The dog,led them to the barn, near one corner of which lying up against the side thereof, they found Ollie, dead. A bullet hole in the right temple and the revolver still in his hand told the tale.

Coroner Wright was notified and went out that night and held an inquest, but it was a clear case of suicide and a note book in which he had written a list of notes and accounts due him, etc., proved that he had carefully planned it all. On nis person was found $66 in cash and he had about $350 on deposit in a Rensselaer bank. He owned the 80 acre farm and was considered well to do for that section of the country. He was a member of the I. O. Q. F. Lodge of Rensselaer, a man whose word was considered as good as his bond, and just \Ehy he should take his life deliberately is a puzzle, unless he was temporarllly insane. In the note book he had written: “Dated Jan. 26. This can be used as a guide.” Then followed a list of moneys due him, etc., and the words, "Divide what I leave between father and mother and sell tne farm for what you can. I am tired of life. Yours truly, O. M. COOPER.” His father says he had acted rather peculiar at times of late, and Tuesday night ate but little supper. He thinks he was slightly deranged. The funeral was to have been held Thursday at 11 o’clock and burial made in the Prater cemetery in Barkley, but owing to the condition of his mother to whom the shock of his death was a terrible blow, it was postponed to yesterday morning.