grave import

Obituary

Henry L. Acres, the well-known railway postal clerk residing at 604 Central Avenue, committed suicide last night by shooting himself through the head with a revolver.
He had been suffering for the past month with acute melancholia, the result of a year's ill-health and nervous prostration. For the last month, he had not been working in the mail service. He was under the care of a physician and was staying at home. He occupied a room alone at his residence, and last night he retired at the usual hour. His family consists of a wife and one child about five years of age, and his wife's mother, Mrs. Lewis, of Marengo, has been visiting at the house for some time. They retired with no thought of the terrible event which would take place during the night.
This morning Mrs. Acres arose at her accustomed hour and called her husband. She received no reply and called him the second time. Receiving no answer she went to his room and sought to arouse him from what she supposed was a sound sleep. When she turned his head upon the pillow she found it smeared with blood. Not until then did she discover that Mr. Acres was dead. The revolver with which he had committed the deed lay under the bed clothing. Dr. McKittrick was called, but the work of the suicide had been well done.
Mr. Acres was about 45 years of age and was a native of Burlington. He was the son of the late Henry Acres (s/b/Steven Acres) of the old-established firm of Acres, Blackmar, and Co. He was a brother of Mrs. Wm. Pilger and Mrs. Scott Wotring, of this city. The deceased was reared in Burlington and passed through the public schools. He entered the postal service eighteen years ago and has followed that occupation continuously. He was one of the most faithful and efficient employees in the service and was highly esteemed by the postal department.
His health began failing about a year ago. It is said that the continuous hard work of his position exhausted his nerves, resulting in a general breakdown of his constitution that brought on the fatal melancholia which caused him to destroy himself. He was twice married. his first wife was a Gilbert and she died several years ago in the south. He was married again to Miss Lewis, of Marengo, who survives him.
His brother Thomas Acres, was a sufferer from mental aberration and was once in the asylum for the insane.
Henry L. Acres was the son of Stephen T. and Sarah Newman Acres. He was born in Gibraltar, Spain (a British Crown Colony) 6 July 1846, and immigrated to the United States with his parents and sibs in 1853, settling in Burlington, Iowa in 1854. He was a veteran of the Union Army, Co. F, Iowa 45th Infantry Regiment, 1864. Henry married Sarah Virginia (Jenny) Gilbert (1852 - 1951), daughter of Samuel and Sarah Duncan Gilbert at Burlington 17 March 1870. They had three children: Bessie (m. George Wm. Moss); Elsie L. (1874-1874); and James G. Acres. Henry was a postal employee.