REV. DOUGHERTY CUTS AN ARTERY

Bright Young Pastor of Buchanan Kills Himself in Insane Distress over Nervous Troubles and Worry

Jamestown, N. D., Dec. 29.—Goaded to desperation by ill health and fearing insanity Rev. R. C. Dougherty, a promising young pastor, suicided at Buchanan, in this county, Sunday night.

It was noticed this morning that his window curtain was still down and that his horse was in the barn and that he did not appear to have left for his appointment in a neighboring town. Upon forcing the door the man was found seated in his chair in an upright position, it appearing that he severed the artery in the right side of his neck with a razor and slowly bled to death. He held a pail between his feet and caught the blood from his wound therein.

Coroner Todd found a note addressed to the brother of Rev. Dougherty, a resident of Kansas City, in which he expressed the belief that he would be unable to resist the impulse to kill himself. The note was full of self condemnation and showed an almost insane distress. It was learned that he had made frequent visits to a Jamestown nerve specialist who told him he was suffering from neuresthenia {sp} brought on by overwork and worry. He was advised to take a long vacation and the trustees of the church of which he was pastor had arranged to grant him leave of absence and had made up a purse to defray his expenses.

Rev. Dougherty was a person of great intellect and a hard worker. He was twenty-eight years of age and of a nervous disposition.

Bismarck Daily Tribune, 12/30/1908