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Obituary for Harry Tennant Shipman

from The Republican (Danville, Indiana)--issue of Thursday, January 9, 1913—page 1, column 6:

VERDICT WAS SUICIDE
Father Not Satisfied With Official Report and Will Investigate

The body of Harry Shipman, son of S.D. Shipman, was laid to rest at Avon last week, he having passed away at Bainbridge, Ohio.

Mr. Shipman lives in Morgan county and the message announcing his son's death gave no details and he learned nothing until he arrived at Bainbridge. There he was informed that his son had committed suicide by shooting himself through the right temple with a 32-calibre revolver. It was stated that his son had been acting strangely, for one thing spending $32 in behalf of poor children on Christmas day. It was also said that he left a note saying that life was not worth living, but the note was not shown to Mr. Shipman, so he states, although he asked for it.

Mr. Shipman states that his son was found doubled up in bed with a cover over him, his right hand holding the revolver, with a little finger on the trigger and a bottle of chloroform in his right hand at his nostril. He was lying in a heavy feather bed on which were two comforts and a blanket all crumpled up in a wad, the bed clothing being very bloody.

Mr. Shipman said that he accepted the coroner's version of the matter in order to obtain the body for burial but that he is not satisfied that his son committed suicide and will continue to investigate the affair.

His son was conducting a carriage and house painting business and was prospering, according to statements of Mr. Shipman. The following obituary was read at the burial:

“Harry Tennant Shipman was born near Avon, Hendricks county, Indiana, March 24th, 1891, and died in Bainbridge, Ohio, Dec. 26, 1912, aged twenty-one years, nine months, two days. He was the fourth son of Sylvanus D. and Emma Tennant Shipman, [and] was one of eight children, two of whom survive. He spent his early childhood near Avon and his early youth with his parents near Martinsville. The last year and a half he had lived in Bainbridge, Ohio. A short time ago he united with the Methodist Episcopal church of Bainbridge and was at the time of his death a probationer in good standing. This is the fourth son of Mr. and Mrs. Shipman who has reached early manhood only to be taken away and our sympathies go out to the so sorely stricken parents and especially to the poor mother, who is too ill to be present at the last sad rites.”