James William Pickler

PICKLER, CASE, HARDY, HUGHES, WELLS, BOUGHNER, WILCOX, MARSHALL

Posted By: John Evan Davis (email)
Date: 11/11/2014 at 07:58:10

Ottumwa tri-weekly courier, January 07, 1911
INVALID ENDS HIS SUFFERINGS
JAMES WILLIAM PICKER SLASHED THROAT YESTERDAY WITH KNIFE, HAD PLANNED SUICIDE
Decedent Had Been Ill for Two Years, Having Suffered Stroke of Paralysis Coroner Held Inquest.
Suffering from paralysis and throat trouble, brought on by the first affliction, which would sooner or later cause his death, James William Pickler, aged 56, yesterday afternoon slashed the left side of his throat with a pocketknife. Death resulted shortly after. Despondency over his ill health was the cause attributed by his family.
The suicide occurred at his home over 528 East Main street, and from the evidence submitted at the inquest this morning, the decedent had planned to take his own life.
Wife Made Gruesome Find.
No one was in the house at the time except the deceased and his wife. He remarked to Mrs. Pickler that he had a dream about their son, Frank Pickler, employed in Des Moines, and asked her to find the almanac so he could find out the meaning of the dream. This occasioned a search in another room and upon her return to the room where her husband was sitting in his invalid chair, she was horrified to see blood flowing from a wound in his throat. Going to the back door of the house, she screamed for her son, Ed Pickler who is employed as foreman at the Swift plant. W. W. Jackson, who was passing down the alley at the time, hearing the cries for help, went to the room and found Mr. Pickler gasping for breath. He summoned a physician, but when the doctor arrived the man was dead. It is the supposition of the family and Coroner Slaught, who conducted an inquest over the body this morning that after his wife left the room, Mr. Pickler had wheeled the invalid chair in front of the mirror, and pulling out his pocket knife, slashed the left side of his throat. The deceased was paralyzed on the left side and he had used his right hand in accomplishing his task. The blade severed the jugular vein.
Wanted to End Sufferings.
The decedent about two or three years ago suffered a stroke of paralysis, which affected his left side. He showed signs of improvement a short time ago, but suffered a setback and his throat became effected making it difficult for him to speak or even to swallow. At times he could hardly breathe, and worrying over this is believed to have caused him to end his life. Edward Pickler, his son, on the witness stand at the coroner's inquest this morning, testified that his father had threatened suicide several times. At one time, he stated, his father declared he was going to jump from the second floor of the building to the ground below. At another time, he asserted, his father wanted him to buy him some strychnine so that, he could, end his sufferings. He further testified, that Patrolman Riggle had come to him and told him that his father had asked the use of the officer's gun so that he could shoot himself. Another time was named by the son, when the father asked one of the employees of the Star livery for the use of a revolver.
Seemed Cheerful at Times.
Since the stroke of paralysis a few years ago, the deceased could not walk and had to use an invalid's chair. Despite his sufferings during the hot summer months, he always seemed cheerful to people who had occasion to pass him to and from work, and he always greeted them with a kind word. Besides his wife, who is grief stricken
two daughters, Mrs. Rosa Case and Miss Edna Pickler at home, and two sons, Frank Pickler of Des Moines and Ed Pickler at home, survive him. The deceased was born in Salem, Ind., September 5. 1854, and had resided in Ottumwa about six years.
Jury Gives Verdict.
After listening to the evidence of Dr. J. B. Wilson, Mrs. Pickler and son Edward, and W. W. Jackson this morning, the coroner's Jury, composed of Will B. Lowry, W. L. Linn and C. A. Hyatt, returned a verdict that the deceased had come to his death by 4" knife wound in his throat inflicted by his own hand.
Funeral Tomorrow.
Funeral services over the remains of the deceased will be held tomorrow from the residence over 528 East Main street, at 2 o'clock. Bev. D. J. Elsea pastor of the First Christian church will conduct the services. Mrs. Edward Pickler, daughter-in-law of the deceased, is a member of the First church and an invitation is extended to members of the church to attend the services. Interment will be made in the Shaul cemetery.
The last sad rites over the remains of James William Pickler, who ended his own life Wednesday evening, were
held this afternoon from the residence, over 528 East Main street. Rev. D. J. Elsea of the First Christian church conducted the services. Many friends of the deceased attended the obsequies. Interment was made in the Shaul cemetery. The pall bears were J. Hardy, B. Hughes, C. Wells, Charles Boughner, Fred Wilcox, and Perry
Marshall.