Andrew P. Carlson (1832-1897)

CARLSON

Posted By: Dorian Myhre (email)
Date: 9/26/2024 at 19:53:53

From Story City Herald April 10, 1897 (page 5)

Suicide!
A Much Respected and Upright Man sends a Bullet Crashing Into His Brain.

Intense excitement was created at this place Tuesday afternoon by the announcement that Andrew Carlson had committed suicide by shooting himself.

The place selected by Mr. Carlson in which to commit this rash deed is just east of the river bridge, inside of the wire fence on the north side of the road. He had evidently seated himself on a stump where he knew he would be discovered soon, and deliberately sent a bullet into his brain. When found he was lying stretched out at full length on his stomach, his face buried in his hat. That he died almost instantly, is evidenced by the fact that no blood was visible except on his hat and coat sleeve. The weapon used was a 32=calibre revolver which was found lying within a foot of his body. It contained one unexploded shell. One shot was all that was required to do the deed, the ball entering his right temple and lodging just inside the skull on the opposite side of his head. The revolver was evidently held a short distance from his head, as the flesh was not badly burned. Several persons heard the shot.

THE CAUSE.
The cause for this awful act will probably never be known. He left a letter pinned in his outside coat pocket, addressed to his mother, in which he told of his finances, but gave no reason for taking his own life. Rumors are rife concerning the cause, but they are based on nothing definite. Some say it was religious excitement, while others say he must have been crazy. Those who say he was religiously insane base their belief on the fact that last Sunday evening he arose for prayers and afterward was let to the Alter by Rev. Brookmiller. He did not become excited, however, and we give no credit to the story. He came home from Chicago at the time of his father's illness last winter, and some say he may have had trouble there, and that it so preyed upon his mind that he was finally driven to a suicide's grave. Others say he may have been jilted in love, but his most intimate friends give no credit to the stories.

It is well known that he had been looking for work for some time, and the Herald believes that the thought of bein out of employment made him melancholy and finally drove him to desperation. But all these are only surmises, and the truth is not known.

On the way to the scene of his death he met several persons, some of whom he spoke to familiarly, while he passed others without seeming to notice them. He stopped at Lewison's new house by the park where he conversed for an hour with the workmen, and gave instruction to the lathers. Before he reached the river bridge he fired two shots from his revolver, probably to see if it would work all right.

His brother, Will, who lives at Horton, Kansas, was telegraphed for and arrived with his family last night. The funeral was held at ten o'clock today in the Evangelical church, conducted by Rev. Wirth, and all that remained of Andrew Carlson was interred in the local cemetery. He was a carpenter by trade, a Dane, about 33 years of age, single, and leaves a mother and one brother.