Eugene M. SCOTT

SCOTT, FILKINS, FORT, CARROLL, MITCHELL, SCHAFFTER, STARKEY, BEENEY

Posted By: Sarah Thorson Little (email)
Date: 6/28/2016 at 23:46:02

January 23, 1839 ---- May 2, 1884

FATAL SHOT!

Eugene M. Scott, a Prominent Merchant of Eagle Grove

Commits Suicide by Shooting Himself through the Head

Last Friday morning our community was startled by the announcement that Eugene M. Scott had committed suicide. The news spread like wild fire over our town and hundreds congregated in the street opposite his house talking over the startling event.

When Mr. Beeney came down to the store about half past seven, he found Mr. Scott lying on his left side on the floor of the work room holding a revolver in his right hand, and blood on the floor. He at once gave the alarm and within ten minutes a number of our citizens had gathered there and did all they could in the premises, which was but little, as it was simply a matter of a few hours when death would ensue. The ball entered the head about the temple and penetrated downward. He died about ten o'clock.

The greatest sorrow for his fate, and sympathy for his family was felt by all. He has been well known here, and liked by all who knew him, and there were few who did not feel that in his death they lost an intimate friend.

There are a kind of men, who are loving and tender in their disposition, and whose minds are sensitive to all outward influence; whose consciences, often too acute for our work-a-day world, give them suffering for even imaginary faults.

These men, possibly often weak of will, have so many good qualities that they are universally loved, their very faults are overlooked, or attributed to their good nature. Such a man was Eugene Scott.

He had often shown periods of depression of spirit, which could be attributed only to the common causes which agitate all men, such as slack of business, etc. At times, overcome by a sense of faults for which he blamed himself perhaps too much, he showed this same depression. Kind friends had reasoned with him, and for a time he would seem to cheer up from his sorrows; but at length they overcame him, and the shadow which had so often fallen upon him, deepened into the darkness of death.

His family has lost a father who was full of love and tenderness; those who knew him have lost a dear friend, and we all deplore the loss of a conscientious man and a good citizen. He was Eagle Grove's first Mayor.

Mr. Scott served during the war in Co. H Tenth Michigan Cavalry and bore a record as a brave soldier.

He was a member in good standing of the Iowa Legion of Honor, from which institution his family will receive the sum of $2,000.

His remains were taken to State Centre Saturday morning and he was buried there Sunday at two o'clock P.M. The following members of Eagle Lodge, No. 183, accompanied the remains to State Centre: D. C. Filkins, H. Fothergill, J. S. Fort, R. C. Carroll, S. C. Mitchell, G. V. Starkey and C. A. Schaffter.

Coroner's Inquest

A coroner's inquest was held over the remains Friday morning at 11 o'clock, Squire Speers acting as coroner and the following gentlemen as jurors; J. J. Andrews, O. A . Young and Jus. Price. The following is the testimony:

W. H. BEENEY -- Came down to the store this morning at half past seven o'clock—rather later than usual. Came back to the shop with a can and found Mr. Scott lying on the floor with blood on his face; stepped around him to set the can on a bench and saw pistol in his hand and more blood on the floor. He was lying on his left side. Went out and told his wife about it and then went to the elevator and told his brother Frank. At his request I went after Dr. Morse. When I returned to the store I found it open and found Mr. Schaffter, his brother and Dr. McTavish and the body of Scott had been turned over on his back and pistol taken from his hand and laid on the work bench. Found more blood when I came back than when I went away. He was still breathing about as heavy as when I left the first time. I stayed around until he died at quarter to ten o'clock. The revolver, an "American Bull-Dog", had been taken from the case and has the tag. Two cartridges in the revolver -- one discharged. Witness identified the revolver -- 32 calibre, center fire.

CROSS EXAMINED -- When I came down this morning I found the front door locked and back door bolted and center door open. I last saw Mr. Scott last night about seven o'clock. Noticed nothing unusual in his conduct. Deceased yesterday said that he would have something different to think about today beside electioneering. He was not in store much yesterday. Think now the remark made yesterday had significance. The revolver was taken from the show case; did not notice last night whether it was there then; it has been in the show case for about four months, and the tag on it bears our private mark. The revolver was in right hand of deceased.

FRANK A. SCOTT -- Last night I slept in room adjoining the deceased; saw him in bed at two o'clock this morning. I got up at half past six this morning came through his room and found that he was gone; supposed he was in the store or gone to meat market for meat for breakfast. I went from his house to hotel for breakfast and from there to my office at the Elevator. Mr. Beeney came running in telling me that my brother had shot himself and for me to run to the store. I told him to get Dr. Morse. Saw Mr. Schaffter on the walk who went to the store with me; found store locked both front and rear doors. Mr. Beeny handed me the keys of the store at my office. Opened the front door and with Mr. Schaffter entered the tin shop where we found my brother lying on the floor, on his left side, with a revolver in his right hand; his face partly down in a pool of blood. At first thought he was dead but found afterwards that he was breathing. Stayed in the store and living rooms until ten o'clock, when he died. I took the revolver out of his hand and laid it on the work bench. Witness identified the revolver.

CROSS-EXAMINED -- Noticed nothing unusual in his conduct yesterday; saw but little of him at the election held in my office yesterday. Noticed that he has been much discouraged the whole winter, more particularly during the past month. Always had spells of that kind ever since I noticed anything. Think his business troubled him more than anything else.

C. A. SCHAFFTER -- Went over to Arthur's drug store about half past seven this morning; as I stepped in the door Frank Scott hailed me, asking me to follow him; seemed much disturbed. He started on a run for Scott & Beeney's hardware store, and I followed him. Mr. Scott tried to open the front and back doors but found them both locked, then taking a key out of his pocket opened the front door, Ran back to the work room and found Mr. Scott on the floor, lying on his left side, and holding in his right hand a revolver. Frank Scott took revolver out of his hand and laid it on work bench. I took the deceased and turned him on his back and straightened him out. He was breathing heavily, but was totally unconsciousness. Went at once to J. C. Wasem and asked him to run after Dr. McTavish and then returned to the store. By that time several persons had arrived. Witness identified the pistol. Had no conversation with the deceased yesterday; saw him at the polls.

DR. McTAVISH -- About 8 o'clock was summoned to go to Mr. Scott, the messenger stating that he had shot himself. Came over at once, and found deceased lying upon his back on the floor in work shop with his forehead and a portion of his face covered with blood and breathing heavily. Upon examination found a perforation of the skull above the right temple and a little back. Portions of the brain were protruding, with but little blood; after removing the protruded portion of the brain quite a quantity of blood came away. Upon examining the circulation found it to be intermittent. The wound was caused by a pistol ball; he was entirely unconscious; can't say how long he had been shot when I got to him, but it must have been from one to one-and-a-half hours. Saw the pistol on the bench. Made no examination as to the direction of the ball on account of approaching death. The ball ranged downward; should judge that he placed the pistol close to his head when he fired as there is no colorization near the wound. The wound was made by a ball of the calibre of pistol found in his hand. No other
wounds or bruises found on his person.

Verdict or Coroner's Jury.

STATE OF IOWA; WRIGHT COUNTY

An inquisition holden at Eagle Grove, Wright County, in the store of the deceased, on the 2d day of May, 1884, before H. Speers, J. P acting as coroner of said county, upon the dead body of E M Scott, there lying dead by the jurors whose names are hereto subscribed. The said jurors upon their oaths do say that the said E. M. Scott came to his death on or before six o'clock A.M., today in the tin shop of Scott & Beeney from the effect of a pistol ball discharged from a revolver by his own hand.

In testimony whereof, the said Jurors have hereunto set their hands the day and year aforesaid,

J. J. Andrews
O. A. Young
Jas. Price

BOONE VALLEY GAZETTE --- Eagle Grove, Iowa
May 8, 1884

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Source -- Paul Wilde