Canton Register: Charles A. Emory, who lived with his sister, at No. 5, Havermale flats, on Avenue A., committed suicide at his home, about 9:45 o’clock Thursday night, by shooting himself in the right temple with a 32 caliber revolver.
The ball passed with a slightly upward course directly through the brain, and it lodged just beneath the scalp above the right ear, causing instant death.
The dead man was in his forty-ninth year, and was employed as patternmaker in the plow shops.
For about a year past he had occasionally displayed signs of mental aberration, which latterly became more pronounced. Since early in June he had not had steady work, and it is thought that during these intervals of idleness he brooded more than usual over his mental condition, realizing his ailment and fearing insanity.
About 6 o’clock Thursday evening Miss Emory suggested to her brother that he sleep downstairs that night, as she had there prepared a bed for him. With the reply that he guessed he’d sleep upstairs, the latter almost immediately went to an upper room, remaining there until about 7 o’clock, when W. H. Shaw, who was in the habit of spending an evening with him occasionally, called at the house.
Emory came downstairs, and remained talking with his guest until about 8:30 o’clock, when he said he would go to bed, whereupon Mr. Shaw departed.
During the visitor’s stay Mr. Emory appeared to be in about his usual condition, and gave no intimation of any intention to destroy himself.
Shortly after Mr. Shaw left the home of the brother and sister, the former again went to the room, and was not seen again alive.
About a quarter of 10 o’clock the fatal shot was fired. Miss Emory did not hear the explosion, but was alarmed by her brother’s fall, and ran out of doors, calling to the neighbors, several of whom had already been attracted to the Emory home by the sound of a shot.
Sidney Lair and Hiram Shields, who live in the flats adjoining that of the Emorys’ were first on the scene, and, hurrying upstairs, found the unfortunate man sitting on the floor, with his back against the bed, dead.
A long scar on his forehead indicated that he had first fallen forward on the edge of the commode, which stood opposite the bed, giving the impression that the shot had been carefully aimed while facing a mirror hanging above the stand.
Charles A. Emory was born in Canton in January, 1855, and had always lived in the city. Both his parents are dead and his sister is the only surviving member of the immediate family. An aunt, Mrs. Mary Baughman, and several cousins also reside in the city.
No reason for the suicide is assigned other than that of temporary insanity due to melancholia and a possible realization of the hopelessness of his mental condition.
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