Eber James Willett

WILLETT, HOUCK, GIBBS, HOYT

Posted By: Marlene Skalberg (email)
Date: 3/12/2012 at 23:38:52

EBER JAMES WILLETT SUICIDES
Last Saturday morning, the lifeless body of Eber Willett, a young farmer living about eight miles west of Corning in Douglas Township, was found hanging in the barn on his home place. The body was found by an employee of Mr. Willett's brother, who lives nearby. No motive can be found for the it, no note was left by the young man which would lead to an explanation or cause for his taking his own life. Coroner Ralph Roland, Sheriff Geo. Simpson, and Deputy Sheriff H. W. Barr went to the Willett home when the news was phoned to the coroner. After investigating the circumstances the officials thought it unnecessary to hold an inquest as the facts clearly showed that it was suicide.
As stated above, no cause can be found for the terrible act. Mr. Willett was a man who had apparently very little to worry over. His home life was pleasant and his financial circumstances good. He had never shown any indication of being worried or brooding over anything. It is said that on one or two occasions last week he seemed silent and hard to draw into conversation but nothing was thought of the matter. Saturday morning he was bout his work as usual and was last seen alive about 9 o'clock when he left the house to finish some work about the place. A short time later his body was found hanging in the barn. He had taken a small rope which came off a bundle of binding twine, tied the rope to a rafter, made a noose on the other end, placed it about his neck and stepped off a hog crate. It is indeed a sad case. He was one of the industrious young farmers of his community and apparently had nothing to worry about, but evidently some worry temporarily unbalanced his mind and while in that condition took his own life.
Eber James Willett was born September 7, 1888 at Adelphia, Iowa, and was aged 31 years, 9 months, and 15 days. He was the eldest son of Richard N. Willett and Josephine Willett and was married to Miss Faye Houck January 7, 1914. To them were born three children, two sons and one daughter; Wilton, aged five years, Helen, aged three, and Marvin twenty-two months. Besides his little family and parents, he leaves three sisters and two brothers as follows: Mrs. E. L. Hoyt, Jr., Beulah, Bernice, Olin, and Clyde. His mother and sister, Mary preceded him in death. Deceased was a member of the Adventist Christian Church, having been converted and baptized into the church of his choice in 1913. He was a strong believer in the teachings of that organization and give to it the fullest of his time and financial aid. The funeral was held Monday at the Highland Church the services conducted by Elder R. A. Bixler, assisted by Rev. I. R. Mills and Rev. Silas Overholser. Interment was made in Nodaway Cemetery.
Adams County Free Press, May 29, 1920, page 2
Wednesday afternoon June 2, Coroner Ralph Roland and Sheriff Simpson went to the Willett farm in Douglas Township and held an inquest in connection with the death of Eber Willett who committed suicide by hanging May 28, 1920. At the time of the suicide the officials did not think it necessary to hold an inquest because of the circumstances surrounding the case pointed most clearly to suicide. However since that time some very annoying rumors have been started around and in order to quiet the unfound rumors and "clear" everyone connected with the case, it was decided to hold an inquest, and at the same time try to find some cause for the suicide.
Sixteen witnesses were examined and questioned at the inquest and all the evidence pointed clearly that it was a case of suicide. Roy Munn, who found the lifeless body hanging in the barn, and others who were first on the scene testified that they found absolutely no evidence to point that there was foul play. The physician who examined the body found no marks other than those made by the rope about the neck. The physician stated that the neck was not broken, but death was caused by strangling.
An effort was also made to find cause for the rash act of Mr. Willett, but nothing definite was learned. There was no evidence to show that there had been any family troubles in fact the evidence showed quite the contrary. Financial worry entered into the case to some extent. Roy Thompson, who was working for Mr. Willett, testified that Mr. Willett said to him the day before the tragedy, " Roy, I am crazy, I am going broke, and have nothing to go ahead with." However there was no cause for financial worry as Mr. Willett had plenty of financial backing both from his father, Richard N. Willett and from any bank of the county he might care to patronize and his business affairs were in good condition. The evidence showed that Mr. Willett had been blue and despondent several days before his death, but his mental condition was not thought to have been serious enough to cause him to take his own life.
L. E. Stanley, L. K. Hogan, and C. S. Arthur composed the coroners jury and after listening to the evidence produced by the witnesses, brought in the following verdict: "We find that Eber Willett came to his death by hanging himself in the barn on his farm on Mary 22, 1920 at about 9 o'clock a.m.
While there was little need for the inquest perhaps, it was best for all concerned and the above verdict ought to quiet all the false rumors that have been started by people who have little else to talk about. It was clearly a case of suicide caused by a break in the normal mental condition of the deceased and a condition for which no one was responsible.
Those who testified at the inquest were Fay Willett, R. N, and O. N. Willett, Roy Munn, Mrs. Roy Munn, Roy Thompson, Grace Houck, Mrs. Harold Craft, Gladys Pond, John Houck, Clark Day, Ned Hoyt, Mrs. Ned Hoyt, Lester Tengarden, J. H. Lynam, John Patterson, Mrs. John Patterson.
Adams County Free Press, June 12, 1920, page 1