OBIT: Furlando L. PATTERSON, 1899, Altoona, Blair County, PA

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THROUGH THE HEART.
Furlando L. Patterson Shot Himself on Monday Night.
DISCOVERY WAS MADE YESTERDAY.
Found Dead Sitting in a Rocking Chair in His Kitchen - Had Evidently 
Contemplated the Deed for Some Time.
A CORONER'S JURY EMPANNELED.

  Furlanda L. Patterson, a well-known painter employed by the 
Pennsylvania Railroad company, tired and weary of this life, ended his 
earthly career at his home, 1225 Nineteenth avenue, some time Monday 
night by shooting himself in the heart.  He committed the deed in the 
kitchen of his home as he sat in a rocking chair with his feet resting 
on the stove hearth.  He evidently contemplated the deed, as he had 
shaved himself, put on clean underwear, a clean shirt and his best 
trousers.  His rash act was not discovered until about 10 o'clock 
yesterday morning, when Frank Raeder, of 610 Third avenue, a shopmate 
of the dead man called at the house.  Patterson had worked Monday as 
usual, but seemed despondent.  During the day, while talking to Raeder, 
he complained of not feeling good, and said: "If you don't see me to-
morrow, come up and see me."  He also recently remarked to Raeder that 
"should anything happen to me, I want Hickey & O'Neil to bury me and 
Duke & Arthur to haul the funeral cortege."  He also remarked to Miss 
Grace Ritter, who lives across the street from his house, while talking 
to her about a month ago: "I am tired of life and lonesome, and 
something will happen and everybody will know.  These remarks add to 
the belief that he had contemplated taking his life for some time past.
  Raeder went to work on Tuesday morning, and when Patterson did not 
appear he became alarmed, thinking he was ill.  He completed his work 
at 9.30 o'clock and started for Patterson's home.  He arrived there 
about 10 o'clock and found everything silent and quiet.  He first went 
to the back door and then to the front door, but getting no answer he 
again went to the back door.  He turned the knob and found the door 
unlocked.  He entered the house and in a moment received a shock he 
will remember to his dying day.  He saw his friend's body sitting in a 
rocking chair in front of the kitchen stove with his feet resting on 
the stove, both hands lying in his lap and his head turned slightly to 
the right.  He looked as though he was in peaceful slumber, and as he 
stepped nearer he saw blood stains on the shirt directly over the 
heart, and taking hold of the man made the startling discovery that 
Patterson was dead.  Raeder left the house and hurried across the 
street to the residence of H. F. Ritter, 1228 Nineteenth avenue, and 
notified them of his ghastly find.  Mrs. Ritter and her two daughters 
started for the Patterson home and in crossing the street were joined 
by William Parrish, a street hawker, who was passing at the time.  They 
entered the house and found the body just as Raeder had done, and found 
the revolver lying on the floor by his side and the gas burning dimly.  
Miss Maude Ritter went to Warner's grocery store, on Thirteenth street 
near Sixteenth avenue, and notified Chief of Police Seedenberg of the 
suicide.
  The chief immediately notified Coroner McCartney of the affair.  When 
they arrived on the scene they found the house swarming with neighbors.  
An examination was made and showed that he had been dead at least 
twelve hours or more.  His body was rigid.  Coroner McCartney examined 
the body and found that but one bullet had entered his breast, although 
three empty chambers were found in the revolver.  Death must have been 
instantaneous.  A few keys were all that were found on his person.  A 
lot of insurance papers and letters, but no money, and nothing that 
would show why he took his life.
  Just what time Patterson shot himself will never be known as he was 
all alone in the house, Mrs. Patterson being away.  Although he had 
four children, none lived at home.  Mrs. Patterson left Saturday for 
Ninevah to see her daughter Alma, who stopped with relatives at that 
place.  The neighbors say that they heard shots fired between 7 and 8 
o'clock which of these was the report of the shot that ended the days 
of Patterson is not known. [sic]  He was last seen about 6 o'clock by 
Mrs. Annie May Boslet when he called at her home and told her to tell 
her husband to come to his home when he came home.
  Patterson's married life was not a happy one and domestic troubles 
are thought to be the cause of his rash act.  It is said he frequently 
quarreled with his family, and recently relations between the father 
and children became such as to cause the latter to leave home.  He was 
said to have been a good provider for his family and a very useful man 
about the house.  The house was in excellent condition, being well 
furnished, and in the best of order.  It is thought that being left 
alone he was seized with a fit of despondency and decided to end his 
troubles as he, no doubt, had often contemplated.
  Coroner McCartney empanelled the following jury to inquire into his 
death: A. E. James, K. K. Roup, John Dunphy, C. B. Clark, W. H. Brunton 
and J. V. Taylor.  It met at the dead man's home at 4 o'clock and after 
viewing the remains proceeded to hear the evidence of several 
witnesses.
  Frank Raeder, who made the discovery, when sworn told the same story 
as stated above.
  Mrs. Laura Ritter, a neighbor, testified that she first learned of 
the suicide when Raeder came to her door about 10.30 o'clock and said 
Patterson was dead; that she and her daughters went across the street 
to the house and found the body in a rocking chair with the revolver on 
the floor at his side; that she had not seen him for a day or so, and 
that she did not hear any shots.  She also said Mrs. Patterson was away 
from home, being at Ninevah.
  Mrs. Anna May Boslet said she saw him about 2 o'clock and talked with 
him at her gate.  I was out watching a funeral when he came up.  He 
seemed sad and said "he was tired of living and wished that it was his 
funeral as he would sooner be dead than living."  At 6 o'clock he came 
and told me to tell Mr. Boslet to come over when he came home.  When 
Mr. Boslet came home about 9.30 o'clock he went over and knocked at the 
kitchen door.  He saw a light burning low and concluded that he was 
sleeping came home. [sic]  She also said she heard several reports of a 
pistol about 8 o'clock but it being Hallow-E'en thought nothing of it, 
thinking some one had fired the pistol to scare children.  She 
corroborated the other witnesses as to the finding of the body, and 
thought that family trouble caused him to kill himself.
  Maude Ritter was sworn and testified to Raeder coming to the house; 
to finding the body in the chair and that she had gone to Warner's 
store to notify the chief of police.  She said she heard four reports 
of a pistol, but could not tell where they came from.  She said she saw 
Patterson about 4 o'clock near his home and that he jokingly remarked 
he was lonely and looking for a wife.
  Chief Seedenburg stated that his knowledge of the suicide began about 
10.30 o'clock, when he received a telephone message from Warner's store 
stating that a man had committed suicide at 1227 Nineteenth avenue.  
When I arrived I saw Raeder and others in the house.  I found Patterson 
sitting in a rocking chair and a revolver lying on the floor at his 
side in such a position as it would lay on falling from his hand.  I 
saw no evidence of foul play.  My impression was that he had committed 
suicide.  Nothing was disturbed, and I found nothing to indicate that 
any one had been in the house.  The top shirt was torn at the spot over 
the heart before the shot was fired, and he must have held the revolver 
close to his breast.  This fact alone is evidence enough that it was 
suicide.
  Miss Grace Ritter corroborated other witnesses as to finding the 
body.  She said a month ago she was talking to him and he said he was 
"tired of life and lonesome, and something will happen and everybody 
will know."  
  Mrs. Lana Cherry said she was in the house with the rest of the 
neighbors, and that his body was in the rocking chair, as other 
witnesses had testified.  She said about 8 o'clock she heard four shots 
fired, and that at least three of them were fired from a house on 
Nineteenth avenue nearer Twelfth street than Patterson's home, as she 
had seen the blaze from the pistol.
  The jury decided to adjourn until 3 o'clock to-day when it will meet 
in the office of C. B. Clark, esq., in the Arcade building, to hear the 
evidence of William Parrish and also Frank Raeder.  The latter, 
overcome with grief at the death of his friend, became intoxicated, and 
after giving his testimony had to be removed from the room.  The jury 
was loth [sic] to take the evidence of an intoxicated man and for this 
reason adjourned to meet again.
  Andrew Kerr, of Seward Postoffice, near Ninevah, a brother of Mrs. 
Patterson, arrived in the city last evening.  He said Mrs. Patterson 
had been at his home, but had left for Pittsburg yesterday morning to 
visit Thomas Patterson before he received work that Patterson had 
killed himself.  He said he was not surprised, as he expected something 
like this would happen.  He also said that domestic relations between 
the couple were not of the happiest.  He was always neat and particular 
but a strict parent, often too harsh with his children.
  Patterson was 55 years of age and had resided in this city about 
fifteen years.  He was a member of several secret orders and was 
generally esteemed by those with whom he associated.  He leaves a wife 
and four children - Ward, Clyde, Oliver and Alma; also two brothers, 
Thomas and Charles, both of Pittsburg.  
  The remains were given in charge of Hickey & O'Neil to prepare for 
burial.  Funeral arrangements will be announced later.

Morning Tribune, Wednesday, November 1, 1899