Edward R. "Ed" Phelan 1880-1908

PHELAN, MCCORD, HOWE

Posted By: Merllene Andre Bendixen (email)
Date: 2/15/2013 at 01:05:08

Edward Phelan Hurt
A telegram received here Tuesday afternoon brought the very sad news to Mrs. Nicholas Phelan of the accident which befell her son, Edward R. Phelan, that morning at Hubbard.

The injury was to the left leg and an amputation above the ankle, the message said, would be necessary. Mr. Phelan was taken to Eldora and placed in the hospital there and made as comfortable as possible. For the past five years he has been in the train service of the C & NW as a brakeman and it is supposed that while switching at Hubbard the accident occurred. He is 26 years of age and among the men soon to be promoted to charge of a train. His mother, sister Ella and brother William left here on the evening train for Eldora. Mr. Phelan, who has gone on business to Rock Island a day or two ago, had not been apprised of the accident to his son until after the message had been received here and he too will hasten to his bedside. The many friends of the family here regret most deeply this unfortunate happening, especially to a young many so promising and attentive to his duties as a son and public servant. (Estherville Democrat, Estherville, IA, March 21, 1906)

Ed Phelan Suicides
Shoots Himself in Head with a 32 Caliber Revolver
Was Alone at His Home
Despondency the Cause – Brooding Over Loss of Limb and Impossibility to Settle with Railway Co.
Ed Phelan committed suicide on Wednesday evening by shooting himself with a 32 caliber revolver. He went to his home, took off his coat, hat and shoes, loaded his revolver, discharged a cartridge to make sure the gun would do the work, laid down on the bed, put the muzzle of the gun into his mouth and pulled the trigger, the bullet lodging in his brain, causing instant death. No one was in the house at the time and nothing was known of the awful deed until eight o’clock Thursday morning when a young man rooming at the house, and by the way the only person in the house during the night, went to awaken him. He was horrified at the sight. Mr. Phelan lay on his side, his right hand on his breast, tightly clutching the weapon that had destroyed his life. His brothers at the lunch room on Lincoln street were at once notified and an examination mad of the room. Before committing the deed he had stopped his watch by breaking the crystal and pressing the hour and minutes hands together. They showed the hour 9:45 and it is supposed this was the time he ended his life. In discharging the gun the first time he shot a hole through a partition in the house into the hall.

No reason can be assigned for the act unless it was despondency from brooding over the loss of his foot in a wreck at Hubbard, Iowa, two years ago while employed as brakeman for the Northwestern Railway Company. He never succeeded in getting a settlement with the company and his limb caused him a great deal of pain. No word of explanation or regret was left to his parents or other relatives. While at work for the rail way company he had saved several hundred dollars and placed in the bank. Last fall he engaged in the lunch counter business on east Lincoln street near the Rock Island depot and from all appearance was doing well. He usually worked nights and slept during the day, but Wednesday he did not go to his home. His parents were both away and his brother, Engineer Will Phelan, out on his run to Sioux Falls. About eight o’clock he told the boys at the lunch room he was going home to sleep that night and would not come back. He went to the E.B. Lohr hardware and bought the revolver and a box of cartridges. Mr. Lohr made the sale and incidentally asked him why he wanted a gun. He said some fellow had followed his brother home the night after pay day and he would get a warm reception if he undertook to follow him. Mr. Lohr remarked then that he disliked very much to sell a revolver to anyone as it was difficult to determine their purpose. He paid for it and passed out of the store after being shown how to load it. That was the last seen of him alive. The young man rooming at the house came home about 10:30. He discovered a peculiar odor in the hall upstairs but thought nothing of it and went to his room and slept until 6:30 the following morning. He got up and left the house and about eight o’clock went back to get his collar and necktie and it was at this time he made the discovery that Ed had committed suicide. Engineer Will Phelan came in about twelve o’clock and went to the house but had lost his key and could not get in. He went to Hotel Orleans and stayed the balance of the night. Mrs. Phelan was in Cedar Rapids visiting her daughter and Mr. Phelan, his father, was working at Storm Lake.

Ed Phelan was 27 years old at the time of his death and had resided in Estherville the past two years. He was born at LeRoy, Minn. A father and mother, Mr. and Mrs. N. Phelan, two sisters, Mrs. R.J. McCord, of Cedar Rapids, and Mrs. M.E. Howe, of Watertown, S. Dak., and three brothers, Will and Joe Phelan of this city and John Phelan, trainmaster for a railway company at Gillette, Wyoming, are left to mourn his shocking death.

He was a member of the B. of R.T. and Knights of Columbus lodges but carried no insurance.

Funeral services were held at the Catholic church Monday forenoon at ten o’clock and the remains interred in the Catholic cemetery. The pall bearers were J. Kirchner, W.A. Swift, Archie Bixby, Joe Keenan, Guy Towsley and J.A. Ambrosich. (Estherville Democrat, Estherville, IA, February 5, 1908)

Committed Suicide
Ed Phelan Deliberately Shoots Himself With Thirty-two Calibre Revolver
Death Doubtless Instantaneous
It Is Thought He Became Despondent Over Injured Limb
Ed Phelan, proprietor of the restaurant on Lincoln street east of the Rock Island Depot, was found dead with a bullet hole in his head early this morning at the home of his parents on south eighth street. He had a revolver in his hand and from all appearances death had been almost instantaneous. He had placed the muzzle of the revolver in his mouth and fired the fatal shot, the bullet passing upward through his right temple. No one but himself was in the house that night his mother having gone to Cedar Rapids to visit her daughter and he was not found until one of the roomers who works in the Byfield restaurant returned to this room Thursday morning. The body was cold so it is evident that he shot himself several hours previous to the time the body was found. About 9 o’clock Wednesday night he went to the hardware store of E.B. Lohr and bought a 32-calibre revolver and then went to the restaurant and told his younger brother that he guessed he would go home and get a good night’s rest. Nothing more was seen of him until the next morning. No cause is known for the rash act but it is supposed that he became despondent over his injured limb. About one year ago he lost one of his feet at Hubbard while working for the C & N.W. railroad and this wound it seems never properly healed and caused him a great deal of suffering and inconvenience. This is the only possible motive that can be given. He was a young man only twenty-seven years old, intelligent and of good habits. He was ambitious to get along and soon as he was able to get around after his misfortune at Hubbard opened a restaurant near the depot and was evidently doing well. The funeral was held Monday from the Catholic church, the pall bearers being: W.A. Swift, Joe Keenan, John Ambrosich, Jack Kirchner, Art Bixty and Guy Towsley.

Deceased was a member of the B. of R.T. and also of the Knights of Columbus.

He leaves a father and mother, two sisters, Mrs. M.E. Howe, of Watertown, S.D., Mrs. R.J. McCord, of Cedar Rapid and three brothers, J.F. Phelan, trainmaster for the C.B. & Q at Gillette, Wyoming, Wm. Phelan, engineer for the Rock Island and Joe Phelan to mourn his untimely death. (Vindicator and Republican, Estherville, IA, February 5, 1908)