Joseph Howell

HOWELL

Posted By: Rebecca Foster (email)
Date: 7/6/2014 at 17:57:42

JOSEPH HOWELL KILLS HIMSELF

Discharges Revolver Inflicting Wound in Head.

After Decade of Suffering from Confinement due to Paralysis, Aged Man Seeks Relief in Death
Joseph A. Howell, who resided with his sister-in-law, Mrs. Harriet Howell on Center Avenue, one block from the city limits, committed suicide yesterday afternoon at 1 o'clock. He shot himself through the forehead with a revolver, dying immediately.

Mr. Howell had lived with his sister-in-law during the last 15 years, during which time he had been an invalid. For the last three years he had been so helpless as to be unable to move from his bed unaided. His invalidism was caused by an accident sustained on July 4, 30 years ago, when he was shot in the neck with a revolver, the bullet taking a downward direction and lodging against the backbone. This caused partial paralysis, which has been becoming worse ever since. In the last year, Mr. Howell suffered four strokes of paralysis which rendered him completely helpless except that he could still use his arms.

Nothing could be done to remedy his condition, and he had not been attended by a physician for several months. His constant confinement to bed made him brood over his condition and he became melancholy and despondent. Yet, he exhibited no symptoms of suicidal intent to the members of the household or visitors, and his final action was a great shock to everyone of his relatives and friends, who were many. Coroner Lambach was summoned, but said that an inquest was unnecessary, that the suicide was evidently caused by brooding over his condition and resulting in despondency.

Mr. Howell took his usual amount of nourishment at noon and acted as usual. After dinner, Mrs. Howell went upstairs to do some work. Suddenly she heard a revolver shot and hastening below, found Mr. Howell quivering upon the bed, a smoking revolver lying beside him and the blood flowing from a wound in his forehead.

Joseph A. Howell was born in April 1847 in New Hartford, N.Y. He was a watchmaker by trade, being an excellent artisan and was thus employed until he was rendered speechless and deprived of the use of his legs a year ago. He is survived by two sisters, Mrs. Harriet Nason of Davenport, and Mrs. Amanda Eastwood of Chattanooga, Tennessee.

The funeral will not take place until Saturday to enable relatives from a distance to be present.

Source: Davenport Daily Times; Thursday August 6, 1903, page 9