Dent, Madeline

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Kern, Walter news Sue Lane 180206 [9022]

20180206 RVA-
Thank you so much, Sue!
I had only gotten the ‘suicide’ from his death certificate. I really appreciate ‘the real story’.
John
+1(803)414-8743
Richmond, Virginia 23222
Sent from Mail for Windows 10

From: Sue Lane
Sent: Monday, February 5, 2018 2:46 PM
To: John Wetzel
Subject: Walter Kern

John:
I have a number of these old newspaper articles and thought since you were interested in why Walter shot himself, that this might shed some light on the situation. Sorry about the poor quality but can't be helped.
/Sue
__________
age 20
time: 10:50h 21 July
Blossburg hospital
Dr. L.G. Cole
quarrel last night at home with wife, very heatd ca 23:00h.
"He placed butt of his shotgun on the floor, leaned the muzzle of the gun against his breast and pulled the trigger, causing a charge of shot to pass through his body, tearing a part of his heart.
While Mr. Kern was conscious from the time he arrived here until the end, he was too weak to converse freely."
Brought to hospital at 02:30h from Galeton.
Survived by his parents, his wife and one child.
Per one neighbor, husband and wife "both were a little hot headed."
"Mr. Kern was formerly employed as a car repairman in the B&S Railroad shops here, but was laid off with several others last February and was not among the men who quit work when the shopmen's strike was called.
He was a veteran of the World War, serving overseas. At the time of the outbreak of the war, he desired to enlist, and had considerable trouble in getting admitted on account of his age, but gained consent and made an excellent soldier."
He enlisted at the age of 16, made corporal shortly after having enlisted, the youngest corporal in the US Army.
United in marriage after the war to Miss Madeline Dent of Galeton.