Glynn-Chatham County GaArchives Obituaries.....PURSE, Daniel Gugel August 6, 1908
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Amy Hedrick http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00013.html#0003209 August 15, 2007, 10:54 pm

The Brunswick News; Friday 7 August 1908; pg. 1 col. 6

CAPT. D.G. PURSE, OF SAVANNAH, ENDS HIS LIFE WITH PISTOL—Well Known Man Ends 
His Life—No Cause Can be Assigned For Rash Act of the Aged Citizen—Captain 
Purse Was Well Known in Brunswick, Where He Visited Frequently—Former 
President Savannah Board of Trade.

Savannah, Aug. 6—Capt. D.G. Purse shot and killed himself at 11 o’clock today 
in the toilet room adjoining his office in the old Board of Trade building.  
No evidence is at hand to support any hypothesis other than that the case was 
one of suicide.  Captain Purse had been talking to his son, D.G. Purse, a 
moment before the shooting about the arrival of some mails.  Looking at the 
clock there was some question at to whether it was right and young Mr. Purse 
decided to go to the front of the building and look at the clock on the city 
hall to see if the clock in the office was correct.

Turning away from the window after looking at the city hall clock, young Mr. 
Purse turned to retrace his steps to the office where he had left his father.  
At that instant Mr. James L. Rankin, who has an office on the third floor of 
the building, approached the bottom of the steps leading to the floor on which 
Mr. Purse’s office is located.  As he saw young Mr. Purse coming towards him 
he called out, “Is your father in the office?”  Hardly had the affirmative 
answer been given when a shot rang out and Mr. Rankin ran in the direction of 
the sound.  It came from the ante room, the door of which was partly open, and 
facing the two gentlemen as they went towards the office door.

As Mr. Rankin threw open the door an unexpected sight met his gaze.  Captain 
Purse was facing him in a sitting position with his head thrown back against 
the rear wall of the room.  In his right temple was a pistol shot wound from 
which the blood slowly poured.  The pistol, a 38-calibre revolver, lay on the 
floor at his side.

Dr. H.W. Hesse was sent for immediately, and scores of persons who quickly 
learned of the affair poured into the place.  When Dr. Hesse arrived he found 
Captain Purse still living but unconscious, as he was when found.  He soon 
expired.  Coroner Stanley was summoned and came and gave permission to remove 
the body.

No reason could be ascertained to account for the rash deed.  Captain Purse 
seemed in his customary frame of mind a moment before the shooting and talked 
about ordinary business matters.  His death was a great surprise to many 
friends who called at the office immediately to extend their condolence to the 
sons of Captain Purse who were notified immediately by telephone of the 
affair.  The funeral arrangements will be made later.

Captain Purse had been in bad health for some time and was under medical 
treatment at the time of his death.  The events of the financial depression 
seemed to weigh upon him and members of his family had noticed that he was not 
in good spirits.  It is probable that he broke down under the strain of his 
long and active life and at its close his mind was some what affected.  He was 
a prominent member of St. John’s Episcopal church.


Additional Comments:

More Glynn County Genealogy & History can be found at www.glynngen.com or the 
sister site at www.rootsweb.com/~gaglynn/


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