DuQuoin
Evening Call
Wednesday
March 21, 1906
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Horrible Suicide Com-
mitted. George Doerflein
the victim.
Well Known Farmer ends
life with shotgun at his
home Tuesday night.
The most tragic suicide recorded
in the annals of Perry County for
many years was committed by
george Doerflein, a well known
farmer at his home, 5 miles south-
west of this city near the Jackson
County line last night. It is not
known at what hour the horrible
deed was preformed, as none of
the family were home at the
time. The suicide is said to be the
result of domestic troubles. In the
afternoon his wife and 4 children
left their home and went to a
neightbors fearing violence at the
hands of the father who had been
acting queerly during the day.
He had repeatedly stated in the
past several months that he
intended to commit suicide., but
little attention was paid to this
remark. The family did not return
in the evening and this morning
when neighbor friends incidently
visited the Doerflein home a most
ghastly sight met their gaze.
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The lifeless form of the suicide
was seated on the edge of the
bed leaning against the barrel of
the shotgun. He had removed the
shoe from his right foot and had
evidently discharged the weapon
with his toe. The forehead of the
suicide rested on the mouth of the
double barreled shotgun, no
doubt where he placed it before
preforming the deed. Several
loaded shells were found on the
bed indicating that he meant to
bring his earthly tribulations to an
end.
Portions of the face and head
were horribly mutilated. Small parti-
cles of flesh, brains, and teeth
were strewn about the floor and a
pool of bloodwhich flowed from
the wounds. The ceiling was
smeared with bits of bloody and
torn fleah. A portion of the brain
oozed through an opening in the fore-
head, while the shapeless facial
features rendered recognition
almost impossible. The nose a
portion of the forehead and one
side of the face was almost com-
pletely torn away.
The body was not disturbed until
Coroner Lemmon arrived this
morning from Pinckneyville to hold
an inquest which is in progress as
we go to press.
The deceased was about 35
years of age and was widely
known throughout this communi-
ty. He was a member of the St.
John German Evangelical Church
of this city. Funeral services have
not been arranged up until this
afternoon. A wife and 4 fatherless
children, 2 daughters and 2 sons
all under the age of 12 years, a
father John Doerflein and several
brothers and sisters survive.
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DuQuoin
Evening Call
Thursday
March 22, 1906
- - - - -
Doerflein Suicide Verdict
Man was probably insane. Evi-
dence before Coroner's jury
showed suicide not in his right
mind.
Coroner Joshua Lammon held
an inquest over the body of
George Doerflein who committed a
horrible suicide Tuesday night at
his home 5 miles southwest of this
city yesterday afternoon. The jury
was composed of Fred Lovelady,
Foreman, J. J. Druar, Clerk, Jacob
Sattel, C. E. Morgan, Joe Walker,
and August Kinderman.
The evidence produced before
the jury tended to show that Doer-
flein had not been in his right mind
for almost the past 2 months and
during that time frequently
threatened violence to himself.
The verdict of the jury was in
accor
dance with the character
of the testimony.
Funeral services will be con-
ducted at the home of the
deceased at 11 o'clock Friday
morning. Rev. Carl Friebe, pastor
of St. John German Evangelical
Church of this city will officiate.
The
interment will take place in
Sutter Cemetery.
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