Joe Howard who attempted to commit suicide last Friday at his home in the Dempsey neighborhood, died as a result of the self-inflicted wounds at the Poindexter residence Sunday, June 28, 1915, in this city, where he had been brought to receive surgical treatment. Mr. Howard is a pioneer of Roger Mills County, having lived here for many years. He is well known, having been a candidate for the office of County Clerk several years ago. His friends here startled by the news of the suicide and could not imagine a cause for his action. They report that he was prosperous, in good health and apparently enjoying domestic life.
Last Friday evening, June 26 after coming from work in the field, he went into the house and procured a Winchester shotgun. His wife asked him if he was going hunting, to which he did not reply. Thinking that he was cleaning the gun in preparation for a hunt she refrained from repeating the question. While busy sewing she was startled by the report of a gun in the room, and when she looked around she was horrified by the sight of her husband lying apparently dead in a pool of blood.
Mrs. Howard immediately brought him to Cheyenne to be placed under the care of Dr. Wallace, but the wounds were of such a serious nature that recovery was impossible. The discharge from the gun entered his body slightly to the left of the breast bone about the elevation of the heart, ranging upward until it struck the collar bone, which caused it to seek an outlet at the shoulder. The muscles of the left breast were completely torn away and the left shoulder was mangled. Several of the shot penetrated the lung.
It was miraculous that Mr. Howard was not instantly killed. Apparently, his intention was shoot himself through the heart, but he was not successful in this owing to the fact that in discharging the gun on the round of a chair, the muzzle tilted upward. The remains will be buried in the Dempsey Cemetery on Monday afternoon.
Cheyenne Star, July 1, 1915