The Wilmore community was greatly shocked Sunday when it was learned that Frank Stout had committed suicide by hanging. The body was found about 10 o'clock and it was thought that he had been dead since Friday evening. He was last seen on Friday afternoon at his home just east of the Christian Church, where he lived alone, and it was here that he was found.Funeral services were conducted Sunday afternoon at 5 o'clock at the Wilmore Cemetery with Rev. D. H. Bennett, pastor of the Christian Church, of which Frank had long been a member, in charge.
Obituary. Frank Stout, son of Mr. and Mrs. Howard Stout, was born July 29, 1882 and departed this life June 14, 1940, at the age of 57 years, 10 months and 16 days.
He was born in Indiana and when a small boy, he moved with his parents to Kansas.
His mother became ill while they were moving here and died near Coats, Kansas.
His father later married Mrs. Mary Baldwin Williams, who reared Frank to manhood.
Frank has lived in and near Wilmore for several years. He taught school in Gray, Meade and Comanche Co., when he was a young man.
In spite of poor health he was a very brilliant Bible student and was also well read in community and political affairs. Frank was so thot'ful (thoughtful) of all his friends and though he never possessed much of this world's goods, he was always sharing with them.
He will be missed greatly by everyone in the community.
"Frank Stout had an acre or so with a small house on it near the park and baseball diamond. He raised lots of vegetables, melons, etc. He was always considerate to we children and sometimes split a melon for us to eat. He later hanged himself in the small house. Others who saw him before his body was removed said he had tied a rope around his neck and to a rafter and then stepped off a low stool. He apparently made no effort to step back on the stool." -- John Guyer: Memories of Wilmore, Kansas
This is something I recall my dad, Wendel Ferrin, talking or writing about. I'll have to check my files for the details, but I'm certain that Dad said he was one of the kids who crowded around Frank Stout's "tarpaper shack" near the Wilmore Christian Church and saw Mr. Stout's self-hanged body before it was cut down; I'm also certain that the body was discovered before, during or just after the Sunday services at the church. I also recall having asked an elderly person, and I'm almost positive it was Valtos Richardson, about the death of Frank Stout and having been told: "That was a bad thing", and that the person who commented then sat in silence and never said another word about Frank Stout. -- Jerry Ferrin.
Thanks to Shirley Brier for finding, transcribing and contributing the above news article to this web site!
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