BOYCE, John (1856-1906)

BOYCE, HARRIS EDWARDS, MORGAN, SHANNON, STRAIGHT, MERSHON, MILLER, SMITH

Posted By: Elaine Harrington (email)
Date: 9/13/2006 at 01:35:47

JOHN BOYCE JUMPS INTO MISSOURI RIVER
From the Glenwood Opinion Tribune dated April 5, 1906

The residents about Henton station were greatly shocked yesterday morning by the suicide of their neighbor John Boyce who lives there. It was soon after breakfast that Mr. Boyce, who has been suffering mentally was missed, and he was discovered sitting on the bank of the river immediately west of the depot. His son Sylvestor, a young man of 18, and a neighbor, Mr. Ed Harris, were out looking for Mr. Boyce and on finding him went toward him. He immediately took off his hat and place a stone or a heavy clod upon it, jumped in the river. The bank at this place is quite steep and the water very deep. The unfortunate man immediately disappeared beneath the waves of the rushing Missouri and was seen no more. Great excitement prevailed , and the neighbors at once telephoned Sheriff Morgan who with Deputy Sheriff Edwards immediately left for the tragedy.

Mr. Boyce has been mentally unsound for a number of years. He has been an inmate of the assylums both at Mt. Pleasant and Clarinda. There was pending recently a question as to whether or not e should be sent back for care, but it was thought he was harmless. He had several times threatened to end his life. About three years ago he attempted to drown himself in the river but got into shallow water and was rescued.

He leaves a wife and four children at home. He has two married daughters, and a step daughter married.

INSANE MAN JUMPS IN RIVER
John Boyce Leaps into the Dark Waters of the Missouri Near Henton and is Drowned
From the Mills County Tribune dated 04-06-1906:

John Boyce, a farmer living in Oak township, near Henton Station, committed suicide at 6 o’clock Wednesday morning by leaping into the Missouri river and being drowned. His body has not as yet been recovered.

Boyce was about 50 years of age and leaves a wife and six children --- two sons and four daughters. Two of his daughters are married --- Mrs. Jud Shannon and Mrs. Wilford Straight.

He has been regard as of unsound mind for some years and at two different times has been an inmate of the asylum at Clinton, leaving there the last time about one year ago.

For several weeks past Boyce had been at the home of his brother R. L. Boyce, northwest of Glenwood and had seemed to be improving.

On last Tuesday he went to see his family near Henton. On Wednesday morning Boyce arose rather early and left the house and his wife suspicioned that something was wrong. Arousing her son Sylvester and also some neighbors the party started out in search of him.

The son finally located him on the bank of the river about a quarter of a mile south off the Henton depot. Boyce saw his boy approaching and when the latter was about 75 yards away, took off his cap and laying a clod of earth on it, deliberately leaped into the water.

No attempt was made to rescue him, as the river is very dangerous at this point and the bank is continually caving in, it being estimated that the waster is fully 60 feet deep.

At the place the current strikes square against the Iowa bank, causing a seething whirlpool against which the best of swimmers could not contend.

It may be weeks before the body can be found. It is near this same point in the river that the three Glenwood men --- Charles Mershon, Will Miller and Mart Smith --- were drowned, and it was several months before their bodies were all recovered.

Following is a description of Boyce:

Weight about 160, dark hair with bald spot on head, sandy moustache, scar on right side of neck, also scar o calf of right leg. He wore blue overalls and a blue blouse with black coat over the blouse.