Miscellaneous Items

August 24, 1883

Last Monday morning the people of our neighboring city, Humboldt, were completely awestruck upon learning of the rash and hasty manner in which Mr. E. J. Bennett, of that city, put an end to his life by shooting himself through the brain, causing almost instant death.  As far as we can learn, the facts are as follows.

-His wife had take her departure Saturday, for a short visit at her old home in Webster City, thus leaving him alone with only their two children and a servant girl.  He wrote a letter to his wife on Sunday evening and left it on the table in the parlor.  Its contents we were unable to get, but he wrote another, which was found on his person, and is supposed to have been written just before he shot himself early Monday morning before daylight.  Its contents were as follows:

Dear Wife;

I have suffered greatly all night; I can’t stand it any longer. 

Kiss the children good-bye for me.  Good-bye.

Mrs. Bennett was sent for as soon as possible.  We will not attempt to express the overwhelming sorrow and grief   which the sad accident brought upon the loving wife and children.  A coroner’s inquest was held in due season and the funeral took place on Tuesday. 

Mr. Bennett has been a resident of Humboldt for the past four years, his principal business being grain buying.

There were several parties who saw him buy his last load of oats on Saturday, and as he was going to look at the grain, they heard him say:  “I am going to buy one more load of oats.”  They remembered his remark as being rather strange, but did not think much about it at the time.  All indications go to show that he had been carrying a heavy load upon his mind, which, it seems, in the hour of lonely solitude, led to his despair and caused the desperate act.  We understand that his life was insured, thus leaving a providing means for his bereaved family.