Payette County ID Archives Obituaries.....Shepard, Thomas W. 1915
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Cheryl Hanson ihansonb@fmtc.com December 9, 2005, 5:16 pm

Payette Independent 7-22-1915
Payette Independent 
Payette, Idaho
Thursday, July 22, 1915

SAD DEATH OF YOUNG MAN

THOMAS W. SHEPHERD, ABOUT 29 YEARS OLD, ENDED LIFE WITH ARMY RIFLE

After Long Hunt by Friends and Neighbors Body Was Discovered by Nephi Purcell 
at 1 p. m. on Monday -- Touching Note Left to His Mother

Thomas W. Shepherd, aged 18, committed suicide sometime last Sunday by 
shooting himself through the head with an army rifle. He left his home in 
Payette Sunday morning at 11 o'clock, stating he was going rabbit hunting. 
When he failed to return in the early evening a search was made for him, which 
continued all night and up to 1 o'clock Monday afternoon at which time he was 
found by Nephi Purcell, a neighbor, in an old abandoned shed on Payette 
Heights a mile southeast of the main part of town. Word was sent to town of 
the finding of the body. It was found he had shot himself through the head 
with the army rifle, which he was still grasping in one hand. The bullet 
entered near the left ear, went clear through the head and passed through a 
board on the opposite side of the shed, about eight feet above the ground. The 
whole back of his head was torn away by the bullet. These facts were learned 
through an examination made of the body by Deputy County Physician L. R. 
Woodward and several other men who went along to view the body. The county 
coroner, A. A. Ferris, of Caldwell, was notified, and with County Attorney 
Griffith and Deputy Sheriff McCullough, arrived at Payette in an auto at 5:30 
o'clock Monday evening. 

After viewing the body and hearing the statements made by Dr. Woodward and 
others as to the finding of the body, together with a pathetic letter found on 
the body of the deceased, the coroner and the county attorney decided an 
inquest was unnecessary. The following is a copy of the letter found:

"Dear Father and Mother, Brothers and Sisters: I am going to bid you all good-
bye. Please now don't take this hard. I am tired of life. Dear mother you will 
forgive me for everything I have done or said, won't you? I know you will. 
Dear mother I hope to meet you in heaven some day. I don't think I have been 
so wicked that God will cast me into hell. Now mother, I want you to look at 
it this way --- everybody has got to die, so what is the use of worrying so 
about it. There is no use mother. It won't be long till I see you again. Dear 
mother I can see Etta holding out her arms to take me when I come. Perhaps 
people will think I am crazy but I am not any crazier now than I ever was. 
Well, good-bye everybody till I meet you again. Mother, don't think that I 
didn't love you because I acted so cruel sometimes. Tell John and Harry to be 
good boys and pay up the mortgage on the home as quick as possible. Mother, I 
would like to kiss you and all the rest goodbye, but I cannot do it, so good-
bye forever. Kisses for all." Goodbye 

The young man was the son of Mr. and Mrs. J. B. Shepherd of Payette. He has 
several brothers and sisters here. His father is blind. He was a member of the 
Payette company in the state militia, but was unable to attend the recent 
encampment of the state militia at Boise.

Funeral services were held from the Church of God Tuesday afternoon, the 
pastor, Rev. Farnam officiating. It was said of Tom that "he was a kind, 
goodhearted boy who loved his home" and one of the young men who knew him 
remarked, "he was my friend." Where he was employed he was known as a good, 
faithful worker and was well thought of by his employers. 

Additional Comments:
Note:  According to his headstone the name is spelled Shepard. ch

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