Prickly Summer: Dead at Home

Westerly Sun, Westerly, RI Cropped top article,
22 Apr 1937, page 2

Prickly Summer: Dead at Home

Suicide in a small town is often sensationalized but thankfully, this article appeared on the second page of the newspaper. Most of the time, there is just a death notice, a notice of service or burial and an obituary. Even though it is awful to read, the factual information is useful to my family history records and writing. My grandfather was only 53 years old when he died.

This "Takes Life by Inhaling Gas" gives me much needed information about this moment in time. This is just the top part of the article. Reported are these facts:

• he was despondent by his wife's previous sudden death 
• both the family and the doctor and the ambulance crew (Westerly Sanitary Crew) tried to revive him
• he had died after his daughter and son left for work at about 8:30 AM
• estimated time of death was between 10 and 10:30 AM
• my father was first on the scene and my aunt arrived quickly
• he did not work the previous day or the day he died
• his spirits seemed OK so the shock was greater
• the gas stove tubing was pulled out and he inhaled the gas
• the Narragansett Electric Company arrive to clear the air in the house and to turn off and repair the stove
• because it was a suicide the town medical examiner was brought in so it would not be considered a murder
• my father was identified as Thomas Broadfoot, Jr., which is incorrect as my father had a middle name and his father did not.

The article goes on to report his correct place and date of birth, where everyone in the household was employed,  the organizations he belonged to and that he was an accomplished curler.

The survivors match my research and the places they lived are correct. The funeral notice and the obituary are in the correct order and are factual.

Westerly Sun, 25 Apr 1937 page 5.