grave import

Obituary

Mike Bogenschutz, 65, 110 South Marshall Street, collector and mailing room employee for the HawkEye Gazette, is in critical condition in St. Francis Hospital from a self-inflicted bullet wound. He shot himself in the temple in the alley at the rear of the newspaper building shortly after 1 o’clock this afternoon and was found a few moments later by Andy Beckman, 512 North Eighth Street, driver for Sickles Laundry. Two girls are reported to have seen the shooting from the alley entrance, but their names were not learned.
Police were notified and the injured man was taken to St. Francis Hospital in the police ambulance being accompanied by officers Delashmutt, Schieffer, and Harry Anderson. The latter took possession of Mr. Bogenschutz’s gun, a .38 caliber revolver, which was found at his side. The pistol had three loaded cartridges in it and one which had been exploded.
Although Mr. Bogenschutz was right-handed, it is believed the bullet entered his left temple and came out the right side of his head. He had lost considerable blood before reaching the hospital.
Attending physicians, at mid-afternoon, gave him a chance to recover. However, it was indicated that should he survive he he will be blind as the bullet is reported to have severed the optic nerve.
Mr. Bogenschutz is thought to have been depressed by financial troubles, this leading to his attempted suicide. He left a brief note of farewell to his wife.
He has been employed on the old Gazette, and the HawkEye Gazette for the last twenty years and has a wide acquaintance. Prior to such newspaper employment, he was employed by the Heil Brewing Company and the GH Prenzler liquor company.
ANOTHER ARTICLEalso in the Hawkeye:
Michael E. Bogenschutz, 65, of 110 South Marshall Street, died at St. Francis Hospital at 7:45 last night, seven hours after shooting himself through the temple in the alley behind the Hawe-Eye Gazette where he was employed as a collector, and in the mailing room.
He was taken to St. Francis Hospital by police. While physicians felt during the afternoon that he had a chance to recover, they reported that if he did live, he would be blind.
The bullet, from a .38 caliber revolver, passed completely through his head, shattering the thin eye-protecting bone. It apparently had entered the left temple, and came out the right, according to physicians.
Mr. Bogenschutz is believed to have been depressed by financial troubles, this leading to his suicide.
Born in Grossdfinger, Germany, on July 4, 1870, he came to the United States and directly to Burlington at the age of nine and had lived here ever since.
He once was employed at the Hubner wholesale liquor company, and later by the Heil Brewery. He had been employed as a collector and in the mailing room of the newspaper for the past 20 years.
He was married in Burlington, on June 4, 1895, to Miss Mary Niehaus. Surviving besides his widow are a brother, Frank Bogenschutz, who lives in Washington Township, Lee County, and a sister, Mrs. JJ Mahoney, Washington, D.C.
Mr. Bogenschutz was known to hundreds of friends and fellow employees as “Mike”. He was a member of the Eagles Lodge.
Services will be held from the Unterkircher funeral home Monday afternoon. The Rev. WB Slater, pastor of First Christian Church, will officiate. Burial will be in Aspen Grove Cemetery.