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Floyd Benedict (1905)

BENEDICT

Posted By: Pat Hochstetler (email)
Date: 2/7/2010 at 08:35:23

Winterset Reporter
Winterset, Iowa
Thursday, June 15, 1905
Page 3

FLOYD BENEDICT SUICIDES

Disappointed in Love, Ends It all by Blowing His Brains Out

Tuesday afternoon about three o’clock, word reached town that Floyd Benedict had committed suicide near the home of Johnston Moore in Scott township, by shooting himself in the head with a .32 caliber revolver. Mr. Benedict had for sometime been trying to win the affections of Miss Ethel Lorimor without success. On Monday evening he called at the home of Johnston Moore, where the young lady made her home, and spent the night with the family. During the evening he tried to obtain a private conversation with the young lady, which she refused to grant. The next morning he tried again to get her to converse with him privately, but she still refused the request.

Benedict left about 11:30 going east down the lane at about which time he is supposed to have killed himself. The body was discovered by Mr. Gregory about two o’clock in the afternoon only a short distance from the Moore house. He was found lying on his face in the middle of the road, with the revolver by his side. The ball entered the head just behind the right ear, and it is supposed that death was instantaneous.

In his pocket was a letter to his mother in which he shows contemplations of the rash deed. He said he could not live without the girl and if she would not have him he would kill himself. The coroner was called and was soon at the scene of the tragedy. A jury consisting of Edgar Harrell, Joe Spurgin and Chas. Silliman was impaneled and after the hearing of the evidence returned a verdict of “Suicide by shooting.”

The body was taken to the home of his father Charles Benedict, in Scott township. The funeral will be held tomorrow (Friday) at East Peru.
________________________

The Winterset Madisonian
Winterset. Iowa
Thursday, June 15, 1905
Page 1, Column 3

Death of Floyd Benedict

Is Found Dead in the Highway Between the Homes of Johnson Moore and Mr. Gregory’s

Last Tuesday afternoon word was brought to the city that a man had been murdered near Peru. Shortly afterward the Sheriff, County Attorney and Coroner started out to the scene of the supposed murder, and arriving there, were soon satisfied that it was a case of suicide instead of murder. They found the body of Floyd Benedict lying in the road at a bullet hole through his head, 832 caliber revolver lying by his side.

Coroner Richards immediately summoned a jury consisting of Edgar Harrel, Charles Silliman and Joseph Spurin, and after considering all the evidence adduced, rendered a verdict of suicide by shooting.

The unfortunate young man was about 20 years old and a son of Charles Benedict, who resides on Jones Creek between Peru and St. Charles. He has of late made his home with his father only part of time, working out most of the time. He was at Johnson Moore’s, Monday night until 11 o’clock and shortly after he left, they heard a pistol shot, but nothing was thought of it till his dead body was found. From a letter found on his person addressed to his mother, it was ascertained that he contemplated the deed of self-destruction. The body was found by Mr. Gregory about 2 o’clock. The funeral services were held at Peru today.

Persons for whom the young man worked, speak well of him, but one says there was evidence that his mind was affected. All persons who are more particularly acquainted with the circumstances which led up to this sad act, feel that a charitable view should be taken and that it will be more just to sympathize with the relatives and friends rather than to indulge in censure or idle criticism.
________________________

The Winterset News
Winterset, Iowa
Friday, June 16, 1905
Page 1, Column 1

COMMITTED SUICIDE

Floyd Benedict Kills Himself With A Revolver.

DIES IN THE PUBLIC ROAD.

Refused an Interview With a Young Lady Acquaintance. He Bids Her Goodby and Walks Down the Road and Shoots Himself Through the Head. Was Subject to Gloomy Fits and was Probably Crazy.

Floyd Benedict, a young man twenty years old, whose parents live on the Fennimore farm southeast of Winterset is Scott Township, stood in the road Tuesday noon and deliberately shot a thirty-two caliber bullet through his brain. Death resulted instantly and the body lay in the road for an hour before it was discovered by John Gregory.

Benedict came here with his parents from Missouri three years ago. A year or more ago he commenced keeping company with Miss Ethel Lorimor, a granddaughter Johnston Moore.

Miss Lorimor and Benedict did not get along together very well, Miss Lorimor refusing to have anything more to do with him after a disagreement that occurred three months ago. He told her that that unless they could patch up their differences and unless she would go with him that he was not only killed her but also himself. She laughed at him.

Benedict went to Centerville and came back to his home only last Saturday. Miss Lorimor, who has been working in Mrs. Wray’s millinery store in Winterset, went home to Johnston Moore’s Sunday. Benedict saw Miss Lorimor at Elm Grove church Sunday. He came to Winterset Monday with his brother and got him to give him his revolver which he had borrowed some months before. Monday night Benedict went to Moore’s and stayed all night. In the morning he tried to persuade Miss Lorimor to have a private talk with him but she refused, saying that she would prefer if he had anything to say that he should say it in the presence of her aunt.

Benedict then went to the field and made Johnston Moore goodbye say that he was going to Missouri. He said goodbye to several other people and coming back to the house once more asked Miss Lorimor to talk with him. She refused, fearing that he might either create a scene or injure her.

Benedict then made her goodbye and walking down the road disappeared. 15 or 20 minutes after he had gone a revolver shot was heard but it was supposed the firing was done at Ham Young’s house and nothing was thought of it. John Gregory, going down to his son’s house an hour afterward, stumbled on the body lying in the road. The man had placed a revolver at his right ear and snapped it three or four times before it exploded. The bullet had passed into the brain and death had come instantly. Benedict was found lying on a little pocket mirror and then open jackknife. Evidently he had tried to cut his throat after the revolver refused to work as a scratch was found on his neck. But he failed in that had gone back to the revolver. The funeral was held Thursday.

The coroner’s jury decided at once that the man had come to his death by his own hands. In his pocket was a letter saying that his troubles were driving him mad and declaring his intention to suicide. He had been subject to fits of the spine and see for several years and as he grew older they seem to grow more and more gloomy and many of his acquaintances were not surprised to hear that he had committed suicide as they had considered him mentally unbalanced for some time.

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