HICKS, Willard - Putnam

Source: Waveland Independent newspaper, Waveland, Montgomery County, Indiana Feb 14, 1907

Willard Hicks, age 43, shot himself in the right temple with a 32-calibre revolver about 4 p.m. Tuesday. He was in Russellville early Tuesday morning and left, accompanied by Ernest Durham, on the 9:05 train for Crawfordsville. Hicks last August, had borrowed near $300 of Durham and had forged his mother's name to the note, besides making an oath that he owned several acres of unincumbered land at Lapland, in order to get the loan. The trip to Crawfordsville was made by the two to straighten the matter up and to see if Hicks owned any land. Twice on the way Hicks tried to give Durham the slip.

At Crawfordsville Hicks was successful in leaving Durham and came to his mother's near Lapland, 7 miles NE of here, with whom he and his wife lived. Durham hired a rig and came down to Hick's mothers to see if the security was good on the note. Durham was accompanied by Marion Mayes of this place and when Hicks who had reached home a short time before saw them coming went to the woodhouse and shot himself. It is supposed that Hicks thought Durham and Mayes officers and were coming to arrest him for forgery and perjury.

Willard Hicks, age 43, shot himself in the right temple with a 32-calibre revolver about 4 p.m. Tuesday. He was in Russellville early Tuesday morning and left, accompanied by Ernest Durham, on the 9:05 train for Crawfordsville. Hicks last August, had borrowed near $300 of Durham and had forged his mother's name to the note, besides making an oath that he owned several acres of unincumbered land at Lapland, in order to get the loan. The trip to Crawfordsville was made by the two to straighten the matter up and to see if Hickes owned any land. Twice on the way Hicks tried to give Durham the slip. At Crawfordsville Hicks was successful in leaving Durham and came to his mother's near Lapland, 7 miles NE of here, with whom he and his wife lived. - typed by kbz