Fear of going blind was blamed for the suicide of Paul Schisler, 27 year old farmer living on the Ludwig farm southeast of Walnut Grove, says the Macomb Journal.
“Mr. Schisler’s body was found about 8 o’clock Tuesday morning in the barn at his home by Mrs. Schisler and a neighbor, Woodrow Connor. He had apparently shot himself throught the heart with a twelve gauge shotgun.
“According to the story told by Mrs. Schisler, her husband had complained of pains in his eyes for about a week and had consulted Dr. C. W. Turner of Macomb about them.
“Mrs. Schisler told Coroner Ray Chipman that her husband had gone to the field about 7 o’clock Tuesday morning to sow wheat and had come into the house about an hour later. She asked him what the matter was, she said, and he told her to go into the other room. She heard him pick up the gun and asked ‘What are you going to do? Don’t do that.’
“She said that he replied, ‘I can’t help it. I’ve got to do it,’ and then left the house.
“After looking to see if the babies (they have two small children) were all right, Mrs. Schisler ran across the road to the home of Mr. Connor and asked him to go with her to prevent Mr. Schisler from killing himself.
“When they arrived at the Schisler barn they found the body with the gun beside it.
“Mr. Schisler had complained of pain in his eyes very often during the past week, she said, but had never threatened suicide. He told her Monday, however, that he did not see how he could stand the pain any longer, she said.
“When she questioned him about a possible intention to commit suicide, he did not answer her for a minute, she told the coroner. Then he put his arm around her and kissed and said, ‘Anyone would have to be crazy to do anything like that.’
“ ‘There is no doubt in my mind but what he committed suicide,’ Mrs. Schisler said. ‘I think he thought he was going blind and he didn’t want to have to be waited on. He acted like he thought so much of us.’ ”
Paul Ebbert Schisler was born Nov. 1, 1910, a son of Samuel and Lydia (Ebbert) Schisler, both deceased. He was born and reared southwest of Astoria. On August 26, 1933, he was married to Miss Vera Hickle, who survives.
When a small child Mr. Schisler is said to have suffered an attack of spinal meningitis and has since had poor eyesight.
Besides his wife and two children, Neil, aged 2 years, and Barbara Joan, aged 6 months, he is survived by four brothers, Jacob, John, Ray and Clarence, all of Astoria, also four sisters, Mrs. Bessie Long, Astoria, Mrs. Alma Wickert, Dixon, Della Schisler of Peoria, and Orpha Schisler, Lincoln.
Funeral services will be held Thursday afternoon at 2 o’clock at the Astoria Church of the Brethren, conducted by Rev. Fred Thompson. Burial in South Fulton cemetery.
Current Obituaries in the Astoria South Fulton Argus