Newspapers: Dan Mahar Comits suicide. Medford, Jackson Co., Oregon *********************************************************************** USGENWEB ARCHIVES NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by any other organization or persons. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material must obtain the written consent of the contributor, or the legal representative of the submitter, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for free access. http://www.usgwarchives.net/ ********************************************************************************* Transcribed and formatted for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Elizabeth Corethers 15 Nov 2002 ********************************************************************************* MAHAR, Dan, Medford (Oregon) Mail Tribune, Saturday, 3 Jan 1920, p. 6: Dan Mahar is Suicide, Poor Health is Cause - Discouraged and despondent over ill health for several years past, during which time he had several strokes of paralysis, Dan Mahar, 56 years old, former well known bartender of this city, committed suicide at his home, 107 East Jackson street, Friday forenoon, by placing a single barreled 16 gauge shot gun at his throat and firing it. Death was practically instantaneous as the gun load severed both the jugular vein and a main artery. Due to the absence of Coroner Perl from the city, the case was not made public until today. Although he had never made any threats to take his life, his wife fearing that because of his despondency he might be tempted to do so thought it best some time ago to hide the shotgun, and did so, placing it under the mattress of a bed. A week or more ago Mahar asked her for the gun saying that he would like to go hunting along Bear creek, but she evaded his request. Mrs. Mahar and Robert, their 14 or 15 years old son, were both away from home Friday forenoon and noon and early in the afternoon on their return missed him, and became greatly alarmed on discovering that the shot gun was no longer in its place of concealment. The son started at once to look for his father along Bear creek and Mrs. Mahar began to search around the premises. The husband and father was found in a chicken coop with the gun lying between his knees. He had entered the coop and seating himself had placed the gun at the base of his throat, pointed upward, and pulled the trigger. Mahar was a native of Ireland and had been a resident of Medford for the past ten years. Her formerly tended bar at Kennedy's saloon and later while his health permitted had served as night watchman at a local lumber concern. Funeral arrangements had not been decided on Saturday noon, but the funeral will probably be held Monday.