Ionia County MI Archives Obituaries.....Eager, Richard G. March 10, 1891 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/mi/mifiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Nan Wheaton wheaton1624@yahoo.com March 13, 2017, 1:48 pm Ionia Sentinel - Thursday, March 12, 1891 SUICIDE OR MURDER? RICHARD G. EAGER FOUND DEAD OVER THE W.C.T.U. ROOMS. A TRAGIC TALE OF ILLICIT RELATIONS, JEALOUSY AND THE USUAL CONCLUSION - ONE OF THE SEVERAL HUSBANDS OF HIS PARAMOUR SEEN AT THE ROOMS LAST NIGHT - A FIGHT THAT IS NOT SATISFACTORILY EXPLAINED. About half past 7 yesterday morning Kate Cutler came from the rooms over the W.C.T.U. parlors, with hat and veil, as though going out for a walk. To R. D. Cain she stated that she had just found Richard Eager dead in her room. Sheriff Welker was notified and at once proceeded to make an investigation. Dr. Allen being called pronounced Eager dead, and in the absence of Coroner Williams, who was attending the G. A. R. encampment at Muskegon, Justice Curry was notified and he directed Sheriff Welker to empannel a jury. This was quickly done and Fred Cutler Jr., H.B. Webber, L.G. Townsend, R.J. Humphrey, John McKelvey and James Humphrey, comprising the jury, viewed the body. The inquest was then adjourned to 1 o'clock in the afternoon. At that hour it had been decided to have an autopsy made and adjournment was taken to 9 o'clock this morning. Drs. Grant, Allen and Conner made the post mortem examination at 8 o'clock last evening. The story told by Kate Cutler is that she and Hattie Starleigh, a domestic at Dr. Croft's, spent the evening with Eager in the room where his body was found, and that at 11:30 she accompanied Hattie home and then went to the rooms of a woman named Chase, over Ward's store, and spent the night; that about 7 o'clock yesterday morning she went to where she left Eager and found him dying and then started out to notify the sheriff. Kate Cutler has three husbands living, first being married to one Hicks, then to Frank Bradley and then to Tom VanDenzen, who is now at Orchard Lake. Lately she and Eager have been living together in the sparsely furnished rooms over the W.C.T.U. parlors. The appearance of the rooms were without carpets, the furniture poor and scanty, and various household and woman's properties were strewed about in great confusion. It is known that Frank Bradley has been around lately and was at the rooms Tuesday evening. He and Eager were jealous of each other. It is thought that the quarrel heard in the rooms last night was because of their joint presence there. Kate Cutler tells a different story. She says that Eager wanted her to pawn a watch he had given her for a some of money he wanted; that she refused and Eager fought with her for possession of the watch, finally tearing it from her dress pocket; that he then threw it to the floor. The watch is in the sheriff's possession. The woman claims that Eager's death was caused by morphine which he had taken. Sheriff Welker ascertained that Eager bought five grains of morphine at Cutler's drug store about 7 o'clock last evening. Justice Curry found the label in Eager's pocket but the box had not been found. Dr. Allen was inclined to doubt the morphine theory of the cause of death, the post mortem appearance not clearly indicating it. In making an examination of the rooms Justice Curry found one of Webber & Buck's dodgers advertising the spring style of Dunlap hats upon the floor in the back room. On the back the following was written: "March 10 1891 "My Dear Baby Katie "You poor broken harted Baby I will write you a few lines to let you know that I am thinking of you well. By By ever your true friend R G Eager Ionia Mich" Whether the writing is that of Eager or some one else is yet to be determined. Richard G. Eager was 22 years of age. He was well connected, being the son of Thos. Eager of Ionia township. He has borne a good name until recently, when he became infatuated with Kate Cutler, since which time he has spent most of his time in her company. He has been employed in various places about the city, working at one time at Riker's stable and for some time at Shaw's restaurant. Eager's funeral will be attended from his father's residence at 10 o'clock Saturday morning and he will be buried at Highland Park. His parents were notified of his death and have been in the city yesterday. Additional Comments: Funeral: Saturday, 14 March, 1891 Highland Park cemetery #Sec. 4 b. 23 July 1869 Osceola Co. Son of Thomas Eager & Thirsa (Chambers) File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/mi/ionia/obits/e/eager5906gob.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/mifiles/ File size: 5.2 Kb