Troy Times

December 26, 1867

MACY, JOHN G. - One of the most horrible cases of suicide that has ever come within the range of my knowledge was committed in Iowa County, Iowa, on the night of the 21st of November, 1867, by John G. Macy, of said county, shooting himself through the head with a revolver. The particulars as far as could be ascertained, are as follows: On the night of the fatal occurrence, Mr. Macy entreated his wife to retire at an early hour in consequence of her having lost a good deal of sleep by his disturbance, as he had been very unwell for something over a month. She complied with his request, he retiring with her. She fell asleep almost instantly, and did not awake until four o'clock the following morning. Upon which she found that her husband was missing. She supposed that he had gone into the sitting room. She arose immediately and went into that room but all was darkness. She then supposed that he had gone into the {? - unreadable}. She looked there but did not find him. She then returned to the sitting room and lighted a candle and on turning around the most horrible sight that could have been presented met her gaze. Her husband lay upon his back on a lounge on the other side of the room, dead. She instantly awakened the family and alone in the stillness of the night, wife, sons and daughters went together over the lifeless form of a kind husband and father, who by a pistol shot from his own hand, had taken his own life the ball having entered the back part of his head, going down through the neck, and lodging near the skin on the left side near the small lung. Friend Macy was formerly a resident of Miami County Ohio.-- Gospel Herald 

Return to Obituary Index

Return to Main Page