FARMER, ELUDING CAREFUL WATCH OF WIFE, KILLS SELF

Mandan, N.D., March 1.—Eluding the careful watch kept upon him by his wife, when she momentarily dozed off to sleep after a long fight to keep awake and prevent her husband from some deed, Clemens Lehman, 51, farmer, living nine miles northwest of Hebron, N.D., at 4:30 a.m. rose quietly, secured his shotgun, stepped outside the door of his farm home, ignoring the frantic calls of his wife who was awakened by the slamming of the door, placed the muzzle of the gun against his head and pulled the trigger. He died instantly.

Despondency over ill health, worry over the fact that he had but little more hay and feed to give his livestock which was already showing signs of the starvation that followed in the wake of recent blizzards which had killed thousands of head of cattle and horses, and general financial worries, were responsible for the tragedy, in the opinion of the coroner.

Lehman, nearly all of his seven children, and his wife had been ill with the flu the last two weeks. Sunday he appeared mentally deranged. Mrs. Lehman planned to watch him carefully, then take him to Hebron Monday. It was a hard battle for the flu and the overburdening work of caring for the sick children made her so weary she could barely keep awake. It was 4:30 before sleep defeated her, she told the coroner. Dozing for but a moment, she awakened when she heard her husband open the door. She saw him with the shotgun and frantically called to him. The slam of the door and the gun's discharge was her answer.

Lehman owned a large farm, free from debt and well stocked.

Ward County Independent, 3/2/1922