Wm. Franke, a farmer living about ten miles southwest of Herman near the Burt county line, committed suicide at about 2 o’clock last Friday afternoon. He took the family shotgun and went into the cellar and fastened the door from below so no one could follow him. He put the barrel of the gun in his mouth and pulled the trigger with his foot. The charge blew the entire top of his head off and death resulted without a struggle. Mrs. Franke heard the explosion and when she found the cellar door fastened, she feared the worst and sent for Dr. Clark, who opened the door with an axe only to find the unfortunate man beyond the need of a physician’s help. Coroner Pierce was called from Blair, and an inquest was held before the body was disturbed. Mr. Franke had recently sold his 160 farm for $98 an acre and when he went to get an abstract found a flaw in the title that would require a friendly suit in district court to make it right. He was little used to courts and the matter preyed upon him to such an extent that he concluded to quit the scene altogether rather an bother with it longer. He was about 45 years of age and leaves a wife and two children the eldest boy being an invalid. The funeral was held at 2 o’clock Saturday afternoon, and interment made in the cemetery near Vacoma.

#2-24 June, 1907 - The Pilot - William Franke

WM. FRANKE SUICIDES

About eight o’clock Friday evening the news reached Blair that William Franke, living in the neighborhood of Vacoma, committed suicide by shooting himself. For some time past he as been despondent and seemed to feel that he was going to lose his property. There was some technicality in the title to property of the estate in which he was interested, and somehow got it into his head, that when the matter got to court it meant he would lose what he had. Sheriff Mencke and Judge Marshall, the last time he was in Blair, endeavored to explain that the suit was of a friendly nature and was only intended to correct some flaw in the title to the property. Mr. Franke was very unfamiliar as to court methods - almost never having occasion to go inside of a court room - and had a horror of courts and court practices. He leaves his family in comfortable circumstances, but one of the boys, a lad about twelve years of age, is an invalid and has never been able to stand on his feet, but has always been moved about in a small buggy. It was with deep regret that the sad news was received by the many friends of the Franke family, and all join in extending sympathy to the bereaved wife and children. The following from Herman gives the details:

“William Franke, a farmer, living about ten miles southwest of Herman, killed himself this afternoon. He went into the cellar under the house with a shotgun, put the muzzle inches mouth, and pulled the trigger with his toe, blowing the head nearly off his body. His family heard the report, but could not get into the cellar without breaking in, as he had locked the cellar door on the inside. Dr. Clark was sent for before anyone entered the cellar, and found the body of Mr. Franke in one corner in a sitting position with his toe still on the trigger and his hands still holding the gun barrel. Mr. Franke was a man about 45 year sold, and a prosperous farmer. He had just sold his farm of 160 acres for $98 per acre and was having some trouble in finding another location to suit him. He was a man of good habits, never drank and was well liked by everyone. He leaves a wife and two children the older a boy of about 14, and a younger a boy of 12, who has been a cripple since his birth."

#3-27 June, 1907 - Blair Democrat - William Franke

William Franke, a well-to-do farmer eight and a half miles southwest of Herman on the line between Grant and Sheridan township, committed suicide last Friday afternoon at 2 o’clock by shooting himself. The wife on hearing the shot ran upstairs and not finding him there, went down to the cellar where she found the door locked. No one entered it until the arrival of Dr. Clark of Herman, who broke the door open with an ax, and therein the farthest and darkest corner lay the man. He had placed the muzzle of the gun in his mouth and fired it off with his toe. The explosion bursted his head into two pieces and did not leave a particle of brain matter in the skull. In his hat was found a letter to his wife and children in which he bade them a sad farewell and explained in detail the cause of the act. He had sold his farm some six weeks ago, and in giving a deed to it discovered that he did not have a clear title to it, although this difficulty was straightened out some two or three weeks ago in the county court, but it seems Mr. Franke still brooded on the matter. He mentioned his general ill health and a broken arm which had become useless, and declared life to be unendurable and so he ended it. He leaves a wife and two children. Deceased was a man of good habits and was well liked by everybody. The unfortunate affair has cast a gloom over the entire neighborhood, and many expressions of sympathy are heard on all side.

~~~Obituaries courtesy of the Nebraska Washington County Genealogical Society. Newspaper clippings on file in the Blair, Nebraska Public Library~~~

Find a Grave Memorial #9332588