DUNCAN, Harry A.

SUICIDE.

Of Harry Duncan at the Occidental Hotel at Indianapolis–No Cause Known for Act.

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Harry Duncan, the well-known clerk at Duncan and Vawter’s hardware store in this city, committed suicide at In­dianapolis Saturday night by firing a bullet into his brain.

Mr. Duncan went to Indianapolis last Thursday, and nothing had been heard of him until the news of his death was received Sunday afternoon. The Sen­tinel in speaking of the affair, Monday, says:

“Duncan was first seen by Captain Ferguson, night clerk at the hotel, Sat­urday evening shortly after six o’clock. He came out of the saloon attached to the hotel and told the captain he had been refused a drink in the place and asked where he could buy something to drink. He was given the desired information and as he took his de­parture he asked if he could get a room later and was answered in the affir­mative.

“About 8 o’clock he returned to the hotel and asked for a room. Capt. Ferguson told him to register, but he declined, saying, ‘just put down John Jones or any old name.’ He was shown to the room and nothing thought of him until yesterday afternoon. Several of the attaches of the hotel say they thought they heard the muffled report of a revolver during the night, but it did not occur to any of them that the shot had been fired in the hotel.

“The bed on which the body lay was saturated with blood and the corpse was cold and stiff, indicating death had occurred several hours before the dis­covery. It was removed to the under­taking establishment of Rennihan & Blackwell where the coroner viewed it. Later it was taken to A. M. Ragsdale’s where it was prepared to be shipped at 8:25 o’clock this morning. The revolver with which the deed was committed is a new one and it is thought he brought it with him when he came to the city. Attached to it was a tag with the price marked.

“There were no letters found of anything to show why Duncan had taken his life. For some months past he is said to have been drinking freely, and that is given as the cause that lead him to take his own life. A pocketbook containing $2.45 was found in the pocket of his trousers.”

There is no doubt in the minds of his friends, but that he had planned to take his own life. He expressed his intention of doing so to several of his friends before leaving this city on Thursday, and bade them goodbye, telling them they would never see him again. He was driven to Greenwood for an electric car Thursday by Curt Rairdon, and when he left he bade him goodbye and gave him his meal ticket, saying he would have no further use for it as he would never return alive.

Deceased was about thirty-seven years of age and had lived in this city all his life. For the last fifteen years he had been employed in the hardware store of Duncan & Vawter, in which his brother, John L. Duncan, is partner. He was a Scottish Rite Mason, a Knight Templar, a K. of P. and a member of the Uniform Rank. Mr. Duncan was of a kind, jovial disposition and the news of his death was received with the greatest sorrow by his many friends. He leaves two brothers, J. L. and Frank Duncan, and a sister, Mrs. A. F. Webb.

Charles Vawter and Jesse Donnell went to Indianapolis and accompanied the remains to this city Monday morn­ing. The remains were taken to the home of his brother, J. L. Duncan. Funeral services were held Tuesday morning at 9:30 o’clock conducted by Rev. C. R. Hudson. Interment at Green­lawn.

Link to Harry A. Duncan’s grave

Note:  Indiana, Death Certificates, 1899–2011, Indianapolis, Marion County, Certificate and Record of Death, page 393 records that Harry Duncan died at about 1:30 o’clock a. m. on 28 Jul 1900 in Indianapolis from a pistol shot (suicide), aged thirty-three years. He was male, white, single and a hardware clerk, born in Indiana. His father’s name was John Duncan, birthplace not recorded. His mother’s maiden name and birthplace also are not recorded. The informant was G. W. Nash, Coroner. Harry was buried on 31 Jul in Franklin, Indiana, A. M. Ragsdale, undertaker.

Submitted by Mark McCrady, Cathea Curry and Lois Johnson