CAMPBELL, James -1930

CAMPBELL, BARE

Posted By: Tammy (email)
Date: 4/25/2015 at 07:08:29

Dike World War Veteran Ends Life With a Shotgun

James Campbell Puts Muzzle Of Gun In His Mouth And Pulls The Trigger

Large Funeral Service Held At Dike Sunday

Left a Note Which Showed that He Was Generally Disgusted With Life

James Campbell, from Dike, a veteran of the World War, became disgusted with life and he ended it Thursday evening by putting the muzzle of a twelve gauge shotgun in his mouth and pulled the trigger. There is a workshop on the back of the lot where the Campbell family lived and it was here that the deed was committed. The shot blew a hole through the mouth and through the left side of the head. His wife was in the house at the time. She heard the shot and rushed to the workshop and found her husband lying on the floor alongside of the work bench in a pool of blood.

County Coroner L. D. Coffman was called at once. As proof of suicide was absolutely clear, he did not regard it necessary to hold an inquest. Later in the evening the body was taken to the Dahl funeral home in Cedar Falls, where it was prepared for burial.

A note which it is believed was written a few minutes before the man ended his life was found in his pocket by the coroner. The note indicated that Campbell was generally disgusted with everything and that life held out no hope for him. Friends saw him around town Thursday afternoon and they noted nothing strange or unusual about his actions. He appeared restless, so his wife said, and ate but very little supper before he returned to his work shop. His wife saw him writing a note on the workshop bench. He turned off the electric light in the workroom and apparently was leaning against the bench when the trigger was pulled. The gun was lying across the man's feet when he was found.

Campbell was 34 years old. He had lived in the community of New Hartford and Dike all of his life. A number of years ago he opened an electrical shop in Dike. Business didn't go well and last year the shop had to be closed. Since that time he took and performed such electrical jobs as came to him and appeared to have work enough to bring him a good income. He was a good electrician and his work gave general satisfaction. He had bought a home on the part payment plan and was about to lose that, though his family still reside there.

The deceased was a member of the Dike Post of the American Legion and a member of the Masonic lodge in his home town.

Funeral services were held at the Methodist church at Dike Sunday afternoon. The Dike American Legion Post and the local Masonic lodge had charge of the services at the grave. Only a portion of those who came to the funeral were able to get into the church. It was the largest funeral gathering ever assembled at Dike.

Surviving relatives are the wife and the four year old daughter, one sister, Mrs. Squires of Dike. There are three brothers, C. C. Campbell from Geneva, Ill., E. J. of Topeka, Kansas, and Chas. from Chicago, auditor of the Great Western Railroad. Other relatives from a distance who were at the funeral services were, Mr. and Mrs. Muray Roadman from Dexter, Iowa, Mr. and Mrs. John Bailey and Mrs. Margaret Miller from New Hartford, Mr. and Mrs. Geo. Bare, Leslie, John, and Harold Bare, and Miss Carrie Bare, parents and brothers and sisters of Mrs. Campbell, from Walker, Iowa; Mr. and Mrs. Ed. Nichols and Mr. and Mrs. Ed. Osborne, of Walker.

The deceased was in his country's service almost during the entire duration of the war. He was an electric chief on a U-boat in the war zone in Europe. He came home from the service with a creditable war record and he was held in high regard by members of the Dike Legion post, of which he was vice commander.

--The Grundy Register (Grundy Center, Iowa), 17 April 1930, pg 1