Ionia County MI Archives Obituaries.....Currie, George  January 9, 1922
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Pat Currigan currigan1932@comcast.net April 21, 2020, 9:11 am

Ionia County News-Thurs. Jan. 12, 1922

War Veteran Believed Insane Attacks Cousin With Deadly Weapon
KILLS SELF AS PLANS MISCARRY
Midnight Deed Stirs Up-River Village; Inquest Not Necessary Says official
With the finding of the body of George Currie, World War Veteran, shortly before
noon Tuesday crouched by the side of a straw stack near the highway on the Muir-Lyons
road, the most intense news story that has come out of Lyons in many years came to a
dramatic end. The body of Currie was discovered by William Loveless, whose attention was
called to the spot by portions of the man's clothing which laid near by, and with the arrival
of Deputy Sheriff Lloyd Burger  the man hunt by, the officials which had lasted since early
that morn, was over. The hunted man had been dead several hours and death is supposed to have 
caused by carbolic acid, self-administered, following his midnight assault with a
hatchet upon his cousin, Mrs. Ida Reeder, a widow and mother of three small children who
were at home with her when she was attacked.

According to the story told by Mrs. Reeder, she was aroused about midnight Monday by
Currier, who complained of a pain and it was after she had procured a hot water
bottle and was about to step into the room where he was that he sprung towards her and struck
her  on the head with the hatchet. Currie was a victim of tuberculosis and his weakness
enabled her to break away and run into the street, but noticing him start towards where the
children were sleeping she re-entered the house and after a short battle succeeded in getting
the weapon away from the apparently demented man, after which she took the children to
the home of a neighbor and summoned Officer Burger.

When Deputy Burger arrived at the Reeder home Currie had disappeared, shoeless,
hatless and coatless, and until the finding of the body there were many wild speculations as
to what had become of him.  For several weeks, neighbors testify he had been acting
queerly, and it is believed that in his demented state it was his intention to murder the
entire family and do away with himself, being frustrated in the first part of his plans through
lack of strength. He had made his home with his cousin for two years, coming to Lyons from 
Middleton.  He was a pensioner and drew $80 monthly.

Coroner J.B. Boynton, of Ionia, who was called to Lyons shortly after the finding of
the body, deemed it unnecessary to hold an inquest although a jury was impaneled in case
any question as to how the man met his death should come up later.  Dr. Thomas Weston,
of Muir, state it was a clear case of suicide, as marks of the poison were apparent
upon the tips of the dead man. According to the doctor, the man had been dead five or six
hours before being found.  In the pocket of Currier's clothes was a revolver, but it had
been unused.

Mrs. Reeder, who sustained a scalp wound about three inches in length, and is not 
supposed to be seriously injured. Currie's war record, as revealed by the official
papers relating to his discharge, show that he was gassed, shell shocked and had been
wounded while overseas, and there is not a doubt but that the veteran was temporarily
unbalanced at the time he committed the assault. His parents  live near Carson City and have been
notified of their son's death. The remains of the unfortunate man, who was 28 years
old, were take to Bradt's undertaking parlors at Lyons and the funeral obsequies will
probably take place from there Thursday. Besides the parents, a brother and two sisters
survive.

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