Ionia County MI Archives Obituaries.....Smurr, William 1916 ************************************************ 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: Marilyn Ransom mlnransom@chartermi.net August 27, 2010, 2:28 pm The Portland Observer, Thursday, May 25, 1916 Driven temporarily insane by ill health and apparently convinced in his own mind that further treatment would be useless, Wm. Smurr, for many years engaged in the barbering business here, stole away from home in the early evening Friday, walked to a spot a few rods south of Lyman T. Sessions’ farm, in Danby, and ended his life with a 32-caliber bullet from a Smith & Wesson revolver. His body, lying close to the fence on the west side of the road, face upward, was discovered early Saturday morning by James Handy, who occupies George Rozell’s farm near Basswood corners and who was walking to the village at that time. The incident has shocked both town and countryside. About two years ago, while working on the little 17-acre farm in Danby he sold only last month to Henry Linicombe, Mr. Smurr was suddenly seized with an illness resembling apoplexy. This is believe to have affected his mind, his sister, Mrs. Matie Fitch, who has been his housekeeper for the past fourteen years, having noted different peculiarities in his conduct since that time. Other relatives have noticed that the man was not his former self. A couple of weeks ago he suffered a nervous breakdown and this, too, probably had its effect on his mental state. His disposition was such that nothing save a temporary attack of insanity would drive him to such an act of desperation as that committed Friday night. Telling his sister that he was going down to the village pumping station to make arrangements with Superintendent Selleck for connecting his home with the city water system, Mr. Smurr left his house at 8:00 o’clock Friday night. Before departing, he took several bills from his pocket and laid them on a table. This aroused his sister’s curiosity. She did her best to get him to stay, arguing that Mr. Selleck would not be found in his office at that late hour and urging him to put the matter off until morning but Mr. Smurr left, in spite of her entreaties. Mr. Smurr evidently had no intention of going to the pump house that night. Instead, his mind was apparently set upon ending his life. He is believed to have gone directly from his home to the spot south of the Sessions farm, where, in a little clump of hazelnut bushes, close to the fence, he placed a 32-caliber Smith & Wesson revolver to his right temple and sent a bullet crashing through his brain. When discovered the body was perfectly rigid, indicating that the deed had been committed several hours before. The man was evidently in a sitting position when the fatal shot was fired and as his head fell to the ground his hat dropped down over his face. His right hand was still gripping the revolver with which he killed himself. A pint bottle of wood alcohol, with about one-third of the contents consumed, lay at the man’s right. The supposition is that he drank a quantity of the poison before firing that fatal shot to make sure that death would be certain. Mr. Handy caught sight of the body while walking past the scene at 7:30 Saturday morning on his way to the village. Seeing the revolver in the victim’s right hand and not being certain that the man was dead, Mr. Handy took no chances. He quickened his pace toward town and upon reading the Sessions home told of his discovery. Mr. Sessions telephoned the authorities. By that time it had become known about the village that Mr. Smurr had disappeared mysteriously the night before and preparations were being made to organize a searching party. The two incidents were quickly linked together and residents were therefore not greatly surprised when the body found near the Sessions home was identified as Mr. Smurr’s. Coroner Selleck was one of the first to reach the scene and proceeded at once to impanel a jury. Those drawn as jurors were Will Klein, Frank C. Adams, Joseph Spitzley, Frank Sherwood, John Bennett and Lee Havens. The inquest was set for Saturday evening in Coroner Selleck’s office, at which time members concurred in the opinion that Mr. Smurr had come to his death through injuries self-inflicted. It was a plain case of suicide and the verdict was reached without any great amount of deliberation. The revolver with which Mr. Smurr killed himself had been used but little and was practically new. Two of the chambers had been emptied, but it was quite obvious that one of the cartridges had been fired some time ago, evidence of corrosion being found upon it. The other was bright and shiny, particularly around the spot where the hammer had struck, indicating that it had poured forth its death dealing contents only a few hours before. In the man’s pockets Deputy Sheriff Ryan found a 25-cent piece, a jackknife, handkerchief, and the label from the bottle of wood alcohol found by the man’s side. Mr. Smurr was 54 years of age at the time of his death, having been born in Eagle township March 13, 1862. He was the son of Rev. J. S. Smurr, one of the early ministers of that locality, and was one of an original family of ten children. One brother, George Smurr, of Danby, and two sisters, Mrs. Matie Fitch, of Portland, and Mrs. Jennie Stockwell, of Harrison, Mich., survive him. Mr. Smurr was a lifelong bachelor. At the age of 17 he went to Rome City, Ind., where he learned the barber’s trade under the tutorship of his brother, Mark Smurr, who has since died. He then went to Detroit, where he followed the occupation for about a year. Then he came to Portland, where he worked at his trade continuously until about two years ago. Selling his interest in his little shop at the foot of Kent street to Wright Wakley, he bought the J. Warren Peake farm of 17 acres in Danby, thinking the outdoor life might prove beneficial to his health. This he sold to Henry Lincicombe only last month. He and his sister, Mrs. Fitch, settled in the Ephraim Francis house, south and west of the cemetery, only a few days ago. Every barber shop in the village was closed during the funeral Tuesday afternoon as a mark of respect. Messrs. W. E. Porter, Wright Wakley, Fred England and L. C. Gardner, members of the craft, acted as pallbearers. Rev. Wm. H. Skentelbury, of the Congregational church, preached the funeral sermon. Interment was in Portland. File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/mi/ionia/obits/s/smurr8882nob.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.net/mifiles/ File size: 6.8 Kb