Clark J. Lawrence, son. of Mrs. Maggie Lawrence, was found in the haymow of the barn on the home place Monday morning, with a bullet wound in his head and a revolver beside. him. A coroner's jury, after a thorough investigation, brought ia a verdict that the young man died by his, own hand. The case is a very sad one indeed, and came as a shock to the entire community. The facts are substantially as follows: Clark, who la nearly nineteen years old, was sent to a neighbor after some eggs on the morning of the tragedy, and was not seen afterward until his mother discovered him in the haymow of the barn with a bullet wound in his bead, and in an unconscious condition. She immediately summoned Art Staples and Bert Martin, who were near at hand, and who assisted her in getting the young man into the bouse, where he soon expired. A thirty-two calibre revolver was found near him, and a wound caused by the weapon was in the temple. Coroner Christie was at once summoned, who therefore impaneled a coroner's jury consisting of Messrs. W.P. Shinn, D. D. Boham and J. W. Bixby. who after hearing the testimony of those who had discovered the body and and of Dr. Thompson, who had been summoned immediately after the discovery, brought in a verdict, as indicated above. The young man was found in a sitting posture, with his back against the side of the building, his head drooped forward on his chest, and life almost extinct. He never regained consciousness, but passed away almost immediately after being found, about 9 o'clock in the morning. The last seen of him was when he had gone on an errand to the home of Mr.
Bullock for his mother. Later Mrs. Lawrence saw the young man's coat in the hall, and knowing that he would have worn the garment had he gone to school, she set about an investigation discovering the body in the haymow of the barn, as set forth above.
The family is a loss to account for a motive to account for the terrible deed. The day previous, Clark was at the, home of his brother, Leonard and the latter says he appeared more than ordinarily cheerful, going into minute details as to how Leonard should care for his garden, in which he always took a great interest, being especially fondof flowers. In the evening Leonard and his wife had gone to his mother's home, and there Clark was cheerful and talkative, enthusiastically telling about a story he was reading in one of the magazines. He had been sick with la grippe for a few days, but not seriously ill, and had recovered from its effects sufficiently to resume bis school work. This has been somewhat distasteful to him, we learn, bat he had never entered any serious complaint about having to go to school, and no exhibition of force had ever been needed to induce him to attend. The entire matter seems to be very strange and unaccountable to the relatives and friends, who had no thought of any trouble tbat the young man might be brooding over.
Mra, Lawrence, the mother, and the entire family, have tbe respect and esteem of everyone who knows them. They are old residents of this community, of exemplary character and enjoying the confidence of all. Miss Lucretia is one of the teachers in our schools; Devol, brother of deceased, is in the railway mail service, and Leonard is in the employ of T. C. Reid at the implement house. The family has the sympathy of all our people in their bereavement.
Funeral services will be held at the home this afternoon at 1 o'clock, conducted by Rev. Jay Kirkendall, of the M. E. church, and interment made in the cemetery near Brooks.
Adams County Free Press, March 8, 1905, page 1