Robert Riley committs suicide in WA 1913
The Cheney Free Press, Cheney, Washington, May 9, 1913.
FUNERAL OF ROBERT RILEY
The friends of Robert Riley who knew him when he was section boss in Cheney four years ago were shocked when they heard of his violenet death in Ritzvelle on Tuesday of last week.
He had been to a moving picture show with Dr. Scott of that city on the evening of the tragedy.In the morning the Italian who built the fire for Mr. Riley heard no sound in the room after timrefor him to get up, and on lighting a match to investigate discovered his lifeless body lying in a pool of blood, his right hand clutching a revolver.
The sheriff and prosecuting attorney were summoned and a coroner's jury called.No motive for suicide was discovered aside from the testimony of several friends that Mr. Riley had been despondent for some time and had said that his wife and son would not return to Ritzvelle to live.A letter from Mrs. Riley asking for $25 a month was found in his trunk.
An incision into the skull by Dr. Hewit discovered powder burn, and the bullet taken from the skull proved the same calibre as those in his trunk.All these facts together with the position in which the body was found, led the jury to the decision that the death was by suicide.Two wires were received from Mrs. Riley, who was with her parents in Leavenworth Kansas.The first asked for particulars, the second stated that she was too ill to come for the funeral and asked the Masonic lodge to take charge of it.
As Mr. Riley was a member of the Cheney lodge, the body was brought here by Ritzvelle lodge men and the funeral was conducted in the Congregational church, Fev. F. O. Wyatt officiating.Many members of the Masonic Odd Fellows and Woodmen, with societies of women, were present at the funeral and provided a profusion of beautiful wreaths and boquets of flowers.
A brief obituary was read by the minister, a quartet sang appropriate selections.The sermon was from the text, "No man liveth unto himself and no man dieth unto himself, but whether we live unto the Lord and whether we died unto the Lord."The Masonic ritual was read at the grave, in Fairview, in the presence of a large concourse of friends.
I'm not related to this person.
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Re: Robert Riley committs suicide in WA 1913
peggy hoskins 9/22/02