Arnold Schmidt (1884-1924)

SCHMIDT

Posted By: Debra Scott Hierlmeier (email)
Date: 11/8/2008 at 08:55:26

ARNOLD SCHMIDT ENDS LIFE
(October 21, 1884 - February 9, 1924)

Arnold Schmidt, Senior Member of Schmidt & Son Hardware, Becomes Despondent, Ends Life By shooting Himself With Shot Gun

A bolt of lightning from a clear sky would not have shocked the community more than did the word that Arnold Schmidt had killed himself about half past for o’ clock last Monday afternoon. In the rear of the Schmidt Hardware store, by placing the muzzle of a twelve inch shot gun in his mouth and blowing the top of his head off.
His most intimate friends could not and would not believe the report until they saw his lifeless body reclining in a chair at the rear of the store. Many were heard to exclaim “I just saw him a few moments ago and talked with.”
Since the illness of his wife, Mr. Schmidt had been kept pretty close at home. Saturday morning the telegraphed for his wife’s mother, Mrs. Emma Karges, who was spending the winter with another daughter in Oklahoma to come to Avoca at once on account of Mrs. Schmidt’s illness. Mrs. Karges and daughter, Mrs. William Lambert arrived in Avoca Sunday evening. Monday morning Mrs. Schmidt seemed quite a little better and Arnold came down town. About four o’clock he called at the post office and mailed some letters, talking with various friends whom he met. Returning to the store he advised his brother, Arthur, who had been running the store alone, to go out and take a walk and get some fresh air, as he would stay at the store for a time.
People across the street looking out of their windows, saw Arthur leave and go up the street. In a few minutes Arnold was seen to come to the front door and look up and down the street, presumably in search of someone. He returned to the store and taking a single barrel shot gun from the case, loaded it and went to the rear of the store, sitting down in an arm chair, placed the muzzle in his mouth and worked the trigger by means of a yard stick held in his hand. Death must have been instantaneous as the charge tore its way upward thru the head, tearing off the top. Thus he was found by Carl Horst, who entered the store shortly after to purchase some mousetraps.
After entering the store Mr. Horst waited a few moments, making some efforts to attract attention. No one appearing, he walked towards the back of the room where he saw the body reclining in the chair. Mr. Horst rushed across the street to the store of H. F. Blusst, telling him there was a dead man in the Schmidt store. Those in the store first thought Carl was fooling but he finally convinced them that something was wrong. So Henry Blust and Rudolp Albers went over, and to their horror found Mr. Schmidt as above stated.
Deputy Sheriff Oxley was summoned and he notified Coroner Cutler at Council Bluffs, who after hearing the details ordered the body removed by Mr. Blust and taken care of.
Arthur Schmidt was soon located but he refused to believe the report until he had hurried down to the store. He cannot understand his brother’s rash act as Arnold seemed h is usual self when he came to the store, in fact he seemed cheerful about the condition of his wife who he said was improving.
Always a quiet person, nothing in his actions or talk to his brother and the different friends he met, indicated he was not as usual or was despondent.
Arthur Schmidt was born in Avoca, Iowa, October 21, 1884, and at the time of his death was aged thirty-nine years, three months and nineteen days. He was the eldest son of Mr. and Mrs. W. F. Schmidt of Avoca. After graduating from our schools he worked in a hardware store in Council Bluffs, and later returned to Avoca and became a partner in the Schmidt & Son Hardware store, which he and his brother, Arthur, have been conducting since the death of their father about six years ago.
Of immediate relatives he leaves the wife, two little daughters and one small son, his mother, two brothers, Arthur and Will and one sister, Mrs. Paul Davis, all of Avoca, except the brother Will, of Omaha.
Arnold Schmidt was a good, honest and highly respected citizen. His friends were many. Always of a quiet retiring disposition, he never took an active part in the affairs of our little city, but was always found interested, and ready to help in all public enterprise, for the good of Avoca. If the had a duty to perform for the public he did it and did it well. And was always manly and straightforward to his ways.
Avoca has no finer family the Arnold Schmidt family. In beautiful home surroundings, an ideal wife, good business prospects, and everything to make life worth living and attractive, why he should take his own life will always be an unanswered question. To the bereaved wife and children the aged mother and others relatives, the love and sympathy of the entire community goes out in the earnest prayer that her life may be spared to care for the small children, and carryon the heavy burden that rests on her shoulders.
The body was removed to the funeral home of H. F. Blust, where it remained until Wednesday evening, when at the entreaties of the sick wife, it was taken to the home, until the Thursday morning when the body was taken to the Second Congregational church. After the services at three o’clock the remains were laid to rest in the Avoca cemetery.

From the Scrapbooks of Bessie Gross Gustafsen
Source: Avoca Journal Herald