COX, George 1874-1935

COX

Posted By: Tammy (email)
Date: 11/8/2016 at 21:10:31

Geo. Cox, Grundy Marshal, Suicides By Shooting Self

Puts Bullet Through His Head At Close Of Night's Work Tuesday Morning

George Cox, Grundy Center marshal, shot himself with a .32-.20 revolver Tuesday morning and he died two hours later. He held the gun close to his right temple. The bullet traveled upward, came out at the back of the head, and lodged in the roof of the Wilson greenhouse, where the shot was fired.

A nervous breakdown was believed to have been the cause for the suicide. Since the death of his wife about two years ago Cox was extremely nervous and was able to sleep but little. He frequently remarked that he would be better off dead.

Cox had been on night marshal duty for several months. His time was up at six o'clock in the morning when he was usually relieved by P. H. Gibson, street commissioner. Mr. Gibson came on the job about 5:45 Tuesday morning and met Cox in the Wilson greenhouse. Cox looked bad, Gibson noticed, and he was very nervous. While Mr. Gibson was in the boiler room of the greenhouse to build up the fire, he heard a shot and as he rushed out of the boiler room he saw Cox lying in the door of the greenhouse. Gibson at once called the sheriff and a doctor. Cox lived for about two hours after he shot himself but he never regained consciousness. County Coroner L. D. Coffman held that the case was clearly suicide and he called for no coroner's inquest.

Cox Born in Missouri
George Cox was born near Green Ridge, Mo. He was 60 years old. He came to Grundy Center about 20 years ago. For several years he farmed near Grundy Center and did teamwork. During the past twelve years he was in the employ of the town as street commissioner or police officer. He was a hard and faithful worker and was a valuable man for the town.

An only daughter, Lois, died in December, 1931. His wife passed away on February 15, 1933, and his brother Roy died five days later. His father, J. M. Cox, who is 90 years old, has been in very poor health and has been unable to get out of the house for some time.

The body was taken to the Coffman funeral home. Funeral services will be held at 2 o'clock Friday afternoon at the Coffman funeral home. Rev. J. B. Bird will conduct the service.

Burial will be by the side of the wife and daughter in the Grundy Center cemetery.

Surviving are his son, George Jr., 16 years old; his father, J. M. Cox; two brothers, Charles of Traer and John of Cimarron, Kansas. There are three sisters: Mrs. Chas. Moore, Waterloo; Mrs. C. M. Paige, Green Ridge, Mo.; Mrs. F. B. Colvin, Sedalia, Mo.

--The Grundy Register (Grundy Center, Iowa), 16 May 1935, pg 1