Morrison - Charles E. - Montgomery InGenWeb Project

A suicide of peculiarly sensational features took place Monday morning at one o’clock at the home of Mrs. Elizabeth Hole, just north of the iron bridge at the old Townsley ford. The victim of the madness was Charles E. Morrison, of Garfield. The young man was twenty nine years of age and was the son-in-law of Mrs. Hole. He had been a victim of melancholia for some time and when a few weeks ago he failed to rent a farm he was bent on securing he became quite despondent. At times, however, he was cheerful and seemed to taken an interest in life. His relatives were fearful for him and with good reasons, for twice before last Monday he attempted self destruction. Once he opened a vein in his wrist and on another occasion he swallowed lye. Sunday he again seemed very despondent and wanted to go to the creek, but his family fearing that he was bent on suicide restrained him. At the usual bed time the family retired, all sleeping in the same room. Morrison with his wife and child occupied one bed, two young men of the family another, and Mrs. Hole slept on a cot between the beds. All were sound asleep at one o’clock, when Morrison arose and took from its place his Remington rifle, thirty two calibers. He stretched himself on the floor at the foot of his mother-in-law’s cot and rested the rifle against the bed, placing the muzzle squarely between his eyes. He then pulled the trigger with his toe. The sharp explosion which followed awakened the family. The room was pitch dark but all could smell the smoke and all realized that a tragedy had occurred. In endeavoring to find a light the body of Morrison was stumbled over as it lay on the floor. When the lamp was lighted a terrible scene presented itself. The unfortunate young man was not yet dead but lay on the floor weltering in his blood. The suffering of his wife was something pitiful and the distress of all present was great. To be awakened from a sound slumber to the presence of such a tragedy was enough to unnerve anyone and it was some little time before a doctor was sent for. Dr. Ensminger finally arrived but pronounced the case hopeless and at three o’clock Morrison died, never having regained consciousness. Dr. Keegan, the coroner, was called out later and found a state of facts similar to that set forth above. – thanks so much to “S” for all her great obit work on this site = s