John Herman Berdahl 1877-1911

BERDAHL, RIGGS

Posted By: Merllene Andre Bendixen (email)
Date: 8/26/2011 at 20:47:55

Herman Berdahl Commits Suicide
Kills Himself Sunday Morning by Shooting with Shot Gun at Home of Sister, Mrs. Ed Riggs
No Motive for Rash Act
Had Good Bank Account and Seemed Well and Happy
Herman Berdahl, an unmarried man 34 years of age, killed himself about nine o’clock Sunday morning at the home of his sister, Mrs. Ed Riggs, in the northeast part of town, by sending a charge of shot through his brain. There is no reason known for the rash act, unless it was done during a period of temporary insanity, although he was never known to be afflicted in this way. He was of a cheerful, happy disposition, had a bank account of about $1,800, and seemed in just the condition to enjoy life.

Tilling was his occupation and had prospered in the business.

Saturday he went to Sherburn to visit his parents and returned that afternoon and stopped with his sister, Mrs. Ed Riggs for over Sunday. Sunday morning he arose about six in the morning and remained with the family just before breakfast then he went up stairs to his room. When the morning meal was in readiness his younger sister went to call him, and just as she was going up the stairs she heard the report of the gun and glancing up she saw her brother fall. The family rushed to the room and found him still breathing but fatally shot and laying in his own blood, which was pouring from an ugly wound in his head. It seems that he had placed the muzzle of a shot gun to his head a little above and in front of his left ear and pulled the trigger. The charge tore away part of the skull, and passed upwards through the top of his head. The shell was a No. 12 gauge but fired from a No. 10 gauge gun.

Coroner Wilson was called and he impaneled a jury consisting of C.I. Haynes, Scott Miller and C. E. Burggess, who returned a verdict in accordance with the evidence, suicide. The remains were taken to the undertaking rooms of H.W. Mahlum. Funeral services were held Tuesday and the body buried in the Norwegian cemetery north of town. [Per cemetery records, East Side]

He is survived by his parents, who live at Sherburn, two brothers, Ole and Frank, and three sisters. (Vindicator and Republican, Estherville, IA, August 16, 1911)