Ulysses Grant "Grant" Gilger (1871-1934)

GILGER, FRANK, CUMMINGS

Posted By: Dorian Myhre (email)
Date: 5/17/2021 at 16:53:12

From Nevada Evening Journal January 15, 1934 (page 1)

GRANT GILGER DIED FROM OWN HAND

FORMER COLO RESIDENT TOOK OWN LIFE WITH A GUN

A bullet through the heart from a gun held in his own hands caused the death of U. Grant Gilger, 62, longtime resident of the Colo community, was found dead in his apartments at his home at Lyons, Colorado, Thursday.

The funeral will be held at the Methodist church in Colo Tuesday at 2:00 p.m. followed by interment in the Colo cemetery under the auspices of the Masonic lodge.

Worry over business affairs is given as the cause of the suicide, according to word received from Lyons, where Mr. Gilger had lived for many years and of which city he had served as mayor for a time.

According to a story which appeared in the Longmont (Colorado) Times-Call, Mr. Gilger had planned the suicide coolly. He had recently purchased a .32 automatic pistol and ordered a box of bullets from a Longmont hardware store and he had Harry Brown, town marshal, show him how the gun worked.

The deceased had operated a general merchandise store for years. The body was found on his bed, the shirt carefully opened and a bullet hole through the breast and there the body was found.

The deceased left notes to his daughter, Miss Frances Claudine Gilger, Lyons school teacher, Dr. Kincaid, a close friend, and his clerk, William Kincaid, Jr. Mr. Gilger's finances were in good condition but he had brooded recently on the reported pending transfer of his gasoline and oil business agency, which he had built up over a period of 14 years, friends say.

Mr. Gilger had lived in Lyons some years. He had served as the mayor of the town, was active n the Methodist church and for years had been an official of the Lyons school board. He established the mercantile store soon after his arrival in Lyons and always was one of the town's strongest boosters.

The tragic death comes as a severe shock to the community as Lyons residents and all who knew Mr. Gilger held him in high esteem. He was known as a conscientious public official and a kindly neighbor.

The deceased went to Lyons form Colo. The change was made for the benefit of his wife's health, it was said. Later Mr. and Mrs. Gilger were divorced.

The notes left for relatives, it is said, explained the act and requested that Dr. Kincaid be appointed administrator of his estate.

Besides the daughter at Lyons the deceased is survived by another daughter, Mrs. Carl Frank, of Ocean Park, Calif., and a half-brother Humes Cummings of Colo.