Meader, Charles 1838 - 1887

MEADER

Posted By: Reid R. Johnson (email)
Date: 1/7/2015 at 19:15:48

Postville Review, Sat., 17 Sept. 1887.

Suicide Of County Treasurer Meader At Decorah.

As most of our readers have doubtless learned of the suicide of county treasurer Charles H. Meader, of Decorah, which occurred on Friday, of last week, we give the following account from a Decorah correspondent of the Dubuque Herald of Wednesday:

Decorah, Sept. 13.- The funeral of Charles H. Meader, for the past four years county treasurer of Winneshiek county, who committed suicide by shooting himself in the right temple while under a depressed mental state of mind, in the grove adjoining the town on the west, overlooking the river, on Friday morning last, occurred from the M. E. church at 10:30 o'clock this forenoon, the funeral sermon having been preached by the Rev Adams, of Waterloo, for many years pastor of the Congregational church at Decorah, who was assisted by Revs. Willard and Ferris the church was crowded to overflowing, and many could not gain standing room. The Col. Hughes Post, G.A.R., of which the deceased was an honored member, were in uniform and superintended the funeral services. The V.A.S. association, a benevolent insurance association, to which Meader belonged, also attended in a body. All of the business houses in the place were closed in honor of the high character of the deceased and the public schools were also closed. The remains were later interred in the cemetery at Decorah, and were followed to their last resting place by his old father and mother, who are 72 and 74 years of age, together with his family, consisting of a widow and three daughters, and brothers and sisters from other portions of the country. This is said to be the first death, excepting a grandchild, that ever occurred in the family of his now aged parents, who some years ago celebrated their golden wedding anniversary.

But as to the cause or causes of the suicide. From a letter written Thursday, and found upon his person, to his wife, he stated that his life had been a complete failure in a financial manner, having failed at Bluffton on two occasions; with poverty and possible disgrace staring him in the face, on account of the difficulty he was experiencing with the Burlington, Cedar Rapids and Northern railroad tax, and he was not brave enough to face the adverse criticisms which would be brought against him, although he was conscientious, in his own mind, of never having committed an unjust act during his official term of office.

In a letter to the board of supervisors he gave the combination to the county safes, and explained to them that they would find every dollar absolutely correct, which has since been found to be the case. The only difficulty seems to be in connection with the Burlington, Cedar Rapids and Northern railroad company tax money, amounting to $24,000 in all, the first payment of one-half of which was delivered by the county without protest; but the last payment of which ($12,000) was protested by the tax-payers, and finally ordered to be forfeited to the railroad company (on account of the illegal manner of voting the tax), and paid over to the tax-payers. About the first of last June, before a decision had been rendered, Mr. Meader was induced to pay over this $12,000 balance to the railroad company, for which he took an indemnifying bond, signed by the railroad company and a number of wealthy capitalists of Decorah, who were perfectly good for the amount when called upon. But the trouble seems to have been that the company's treasuer took an oath before the board of supervisors that this money was actually in the company's vaults, and he procured a corresponding amount temporarily loaned from the bank as a substitute, which the board was permitted to count, and while the railroad company really had the use of the money and the company's treasurer had the bond, which he believed to be as good as the money. The deception so worked upon his mind that he could not endure the pressure and seeing political defeat, at least, he sought release from his imaginary troubles, while in the very vigor of health and manhood, at the early age of 44 years. As a soldier in Co. H., 9th Iowa, he was a brave man, and served through the war, being dismissed as a sergeant. He was always known to be a perfectly honest and conscientious man, and his only error, while in or out of office, was that of judgment and not wrong intent. He used all of his income to pay his old debts, as well as his back pay and pension money, and leaves his family without a home and but $2,000 insurance.

(NOTE: Using the dates given gives a date of death, 9-9-1887, that matches exactly that shown on a gravestone photo on the IGPP for Charles E. Meader in Phelps Cemetery.)

Phelps Cemetery
 

Winneshiek Obituaries maintained by Bruce Kuennen.
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