McCloud, Clark – Died 1901

MCCLOUD, BUTTRAM

Posted By: Joy Moore (email)
Date: 5/22/2024 at 16:07:27

Source: Twice-A-Week Plain Dealer June 7, 1901, FP, C7

Clark McCloud.
Is the name of a person who was confined in the jail of our county, bent upon self destruction. Sunday morning last, Sheriff Campbell had a telephone message from Mayor Church of Elma, that they had a person there who was endeavoring to take his own life, and asking that he be taken into custody of the sheriff that he might be prevented from inflicting self injury. He was unknown to the people there, none of whom knew when or how he came or where he came from and he declined to give his name or any information about himself.
In response to the call of Mayor Church, the Sheriff went for him, returning Sunday night at a late hour. He was furnished his supper of which he ate sparingly and placed in a cell where it was thought he could do himself no injury. To the repeated efforts of the sheriff to learn some clue to his relatives if any, or to his home, he turned a deaf ear and was silent. On Tuesday evening Mr. Campbell had a long and interesting interview with him, during which he learned that he had a married sister, Annie, wife of W. H. Buttram, at Huntsville, Tenn. On Wednesday morning when his breakfast was taken to him it was found that he had torn a strip from the woolen blanket provided for his bed and placed it about his neck had put himself in a position to strangle himself to death, lying forward face downward, was found cold in the embrace of death. Mr. Campbell immediately telegraphed to the sheriff at Huntsville, Tenn., for information, receiving word that W. H. Buttram resided there and that the name of deceased was Clark McCloud, and his sister Annie Bell McCloud was the wife of Mr. Buttram, and telegram from Mr. Buttram said: “If possible ship body to Helenwood, Tenn., charges, C. O. D.,” which was done Wednesday evening, Mr. G. Meverden’s undertaking establishment preparing the body for its journy{sic}. It is one of the sad phases of life that a man in the prime of years should die by his own hand, friendless and unknown.

Source: Decorah Republican June 13, 1901 P 6 C 3

Committed Suicide in Jail.
An unknown young man committed suicide in the Howard County jail at Cresco on Wednesday night of last week. He had been brought there from Elma, not for any wrong he had committed, but because of an evident desire to take his own life. He was placed in a cell where it was supposed such an act would be impossible but he tore up a woolen blanket and made a strip by which he accomplished his desire, for when found be was lying face downward with his face only a few inches above the floor. Before his death, the sheriff ascertained his name was Clark McCloud and that he had a sister living near Huntsville, Tenn., and his body was taken there for burial.