Cook - Asa 1899
Source: Waveland Independent newspaper, Waveland, Montgomery County, Indiana 14 July 1899
Coroner Ball was called to Wesley Tuesday to hold an inquest on the body of Asa Cook, a young man who committed suicide by shooting himself through the head. -- kbz
Source: Crawfordsville Weekly Journal Friday, 21 July 1899
It is our sad duty to chronicle the death of Asa M. Cook, son of Shade Cook, aged 21 years, 1 month and 18 days. He departed this life Monday night, July 10, by shooting himself. He was born May 22, 1878, and united with the United Brethren Church No. 19, 1898. Asa and another young man made application and were baptized during the week, when there was no meeting.
He leaves a father, stepmother, two sisters and three brothers and other relatives to mourn their loss and feel that the shock and trouble is almost more than they can bear. Funeral services were at White Church on Wednesday by Eld. L. M. Dunbar, from Matthew 24:44. Interment was at Union Cemetery near Clarkâs Hill. The family has the sympathy of the entire community in their sad bereavement. - thanks S this adds a lot to what we had already on Asa as does the one below - thanks muches
Source: Crawfordsville Weekly Journal Friday, 7 July 1899
Last Tuesday when Grant Cook, of Sugar Creek Township, went to the barn on the farm of his father, Shade Cook, he was horrified to find lying almost in the door, the body of his brother, Asa Cook, a young man about 23 years of age. In his head was a gaping wound and by his side lay a revolver, which had been the property of the deceased. The alarm was given and after Coroner Ball had been summoned from Waveland, the body was removed to the house.
The unfortunate young man undoubtedly committed suicide, although at first this was not so clear. No one had any idea that he meant to destroy his life, but now it is plain that he made a threat of so doing on Monday. It seems that his sister-in-law, Mrs. Grant Cook, remonstrated with him because of his drinking and plainly told him that if he could not reform he could not sleep there. The young man then stated that he never intended to sleep in any house again. Mrs. Cook paid little attention to this statement, thinking it to be idle talk, but now she realizes that when he said it he had made up his mind to end his life by suicide. About dusk Asa started to the barn and his brother told him to turn the horses out. Later on seeing that it had not been done, Grant went to the barn and loosed the horses himself. He then saw nothing of Asa and it is likely that although he was in the barn at the time that he had not committed the deed, for Grant walked right over the spot where his body was found Tuesday morning.
It is not known at what hour the suicide occurred, but Asa had evidently been dead several hours when found. He left no letters, so far as is known, and no motive except general despondency can be ascribed. He had some trouble with a girl some time ago, a Miss Josephine Horn, of Sugar Creek Township, and was arrested at her instance as the author of her troubles. It seems hardly probably, however, that this was the occasion of his act, as he had not taken the affair so seriously to heart at the time. His suicide was a great surprise to the neighborhood and especially to those best acquainted with him.