Deakin, Willie E. – d. 1892

DEAKIN

Posted By: Diana Wagner
Date: 7/13/2021 at 21:35:36

The people of Vandalia were shocked by the report that a young man by the name of William Deakin, aged 31, living one mile north and a quarter east of that place, had shot himself. A reporter interviewed the father to learn the particulars.
They are about like this: William had moved with his brother Ed to Des Moines and he had been in the employ a few days in the B. S. Schemerhorn egg house, but that not agreeing with him he had obtained work of H. Laeschutte, located on East Walnut. He was to have commenced on the day of his death. He had come home to work at his brothers’. In the evening of that day he ate his supper and seemed in good spirits, and after supper he went out in his shirt sleeves, notwithstanding the severe storm that as raging.
After being out ten or fifteen minutes his father made some inquiries about him and search was made at once. He was found in a low barn lying on his face dead with a bullet hole in his left breast. He had died apparently without and a single struggle. The weapon used was a 32-calibre revolver. It had four loaded cartridges and one empty shell in it when found, and lay just underneath his left hand. His father says he knows no reason why he should do such a thing.
Source: Pella Blade, Tuesday, April 26, 1892, page 2