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Ralph V. Collier (1911)

COLLIER, HOOVER, SCHMIDT, SWITZER, TOMLINSON

Posted By: Pat Hochstetler
Date: 1/20/2017 at 06:31:23

The Des Moines Tribune
Des Moines, Iowa
Friday, June 23, 1911
Page 3, Column 7

HOLD INQUEST OVER SUICIDE

Ralph Collier of Peru Kills Himself with Revolver Bullet.

Coroner Lee will hold an inquest this evening regarding the suicide of Ralph Collier of Peru, Ia., who shot himself in the head yesterday afternoon under the South Fifth street bridge.

F. L. Higgins of Lorimor, Ia., who was with the man at the time of the suicide will be released after the inquest, as he is held blameless. Powder burns on Collier’s head and right hand show that he killed himself.

Frank Tomlinson, a brother-in-law of the dead man, was permitted by Coroner Lee to return to Peru with the body at noon today.
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The Des Moines Register
Des Moines, Iowa
Saturday, June 24, 1911
Page 2, Column 3

HIGGINS ORDERED RELEASED

Companion of Suicide Exonerated by Coroner’s Jury.

F. L. Higgins of Lorimor, who was held by the police in connection with the death of Ralph Collier of Peru Thursday, was ordered released last night by Coroner James Lee. The coroner’s jury, which met last night, held Higgins blameless. They decided that Collier committed suicide. Collier’s body was taken back to Peru for burial yesterday morning by his brother-in-law, Frank Tomlinson. Collier shot himself in the right temple near the South Fifth street bridge. He died shortly after reaching Methodist hospital.
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The Osceola Sentinel
Osceola, Iowa
Thursday, June 29, 1911
Page 1, Column 2

DEATH BY SUICIDE

Ralph Collier, Peru, Shoots Himself Near Fifth Street Bridge, Des Moines, June 22nd.

“Ralph Collier of Peru, Ia., committed suicide yesterday afternoon in a hollow near the South Fifth street bridge. Collier shot himself in the right temple and it is thot the bullet entered his brain. He died while being removed to the Methodist hospital.

T. L. Higgins of Lorimor, Ia., who was with Collier at the time of the shooting, could give no reason why the man committed the deed. He says that he met him in Des Moines last Monday and they have been together ever since. He stated that they had both been drinking beer all afternoon and went down on South Fifth street to sleep a while.

We were laying down in the grass together, Higgins said, when all at once I heard a shot. I thot it was some one across the river and did not pay any attention to it. Pretty soon I heard Collier groan and getting up I saw blood streaming from a wound in his right temple. I ran for aid at once. I did not know Collier very well, as I just met him this week. He told me that he had been married but a short time, but never talked despondently. I cannot imagine what caused him to shoot himself.

Collier was attended by Police Surgeons Fagen and Jackson. The gun with which the deed was done was found lying under Collier’s right leg. Higgins was held temporarily by the police until the case was investigated.”

The above account of the death of Ralph Collier, known to many Clarke county people, is taken from the Register and Leader of the 23rd.

The young man was about twenty-six years of age. He was married on May 10th, last, to Miss Hover of Peru. His parents are dead. His sisters, Mrs. Henry Schmidt of this city, and Mrs. C. E. Switzer of Ridgeway, Mo., were present at the funeral which was held from the M. E. church at Truro last Saturday and interment made in the Hartman cemetery.

Relatives her do no credit the theory of suicide and Issac J. Fouche is in Des Moines assisting in the investigation.
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Winterset Madisonian
Winterset, Iowa
Thursday, June 29, 1911
Page 2

Ralph Collier Suicides

Des Moines—Ralph Collier, of Peru, Iowa, committed suicide in a hollow near the South Fifth street bridge. Collier shot himself in the right temple and the bullet entered his brain. He died while being removed to the Methodist hospital.
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Winterset Reporter
Winterset, Iowa
Thursday, June 29, 1911
Page 5

Truro Items

The funeral of Ralph Collier was held from the M. E. church here last Saturday, and the remains were laid to rest in the Hartman cemetery south of town.
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Transcriber's note: Transcribed as published, the maiden name of his wife per their Polk County Marriage Record is "Hoover".

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