Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 35, Number 126, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 30 October 1903 — Again Its Near Mt Ayr. [ARTICLE]

Again Its Near Mt Ayr.

This Time a Cate of Suicide. Frank Carter, a Respected Farmer, the Victim Again Newton oonnty has another tragedy, end! like the one of a few thonths ago, it oooured near Mt Ayr. It ia a case of snioide, and Frank Carter, a well known and very highly respected farmer, is the victim. He lived two miles north and a mile west of Mt. Ayr, — ; -- _ • v * on a good 120 acre farm, whidh he owned, and whioh was well improved. He hid b )en suffering all the fall, more or less, from mental depression, and has made threats of snioide before, and the family were constantly on the watch to prevent the aot. He conceived the idea, as he expressed it. that Borne person was "honnding” him, and the idea drove him to self destruction. Tuesday morning about 5 o’clock after a night of greater depression than ever, he arose in a state of desperation* and in spite of the efforts of his wife to prevent him, he left their room, found a small target rifle, and went out of the house. Mrs. Carter called her aunt, who stays with her, and their son and begun a search, also called a neighbor who lives near. The son thought there were no cartridges for the rifle and that therefore he oould not harm himself wiih it, bat after a short searoh they fouad his dead body in the yard 7 or 8 rods from the house. He had placed the muzzle of the gun against his forehead and fired. Dr. Merry, of Mt Ayr, went out with the acting coroner, and states that his death must have been el Z most instantaneous. No report of the gnn was heard, and he must therefore have had the muzzle pressed direotly agniest his head,, when he fired Ha was,-as stated about 40 years old, and leaves a wife and four children, ranging in age from 6 months to about 15 yearp.