Surnames: McHone, Berndt, Wink, Downer, Longenecker

----Source: Neillsville Press (Neillsville, Clark County, Wis.) Jan. 16, 1930

McHone, Leo Jewell (21 March 1897 - 8 Jan. 1930)

CHILI BLACKSMITH COMMITS SUICIDE

Victim Lives Several Hours After Shooting Self

Leo Jewell McHone, better known in his community as Jack McHone living three mile west of Chili in the town of Fremont, took his own life Wednesday afternoon Jan. 8, by a shot from a revolver. Deceased was at times depressed and melancholy and was said to have been especially so when a death of funeral took place in the community. It is reported that he had apparently made preparations for the deed, attending to some business details, and changing his working cloths he went to his blacksmith shop where some time in the afternoon he evidently had shot himself with a 32 revolver. About 4 o’clock in the afternoon he was found by a young man of the neighborhood, Rudolph Berndt, who went to the shop to grind an ax. There he found McHone prostrate, though still alive, with the revolver lying close at hand. Mr. Berndt ran at once to the home of Lester McHone, a brother living nearby, Who summoned Dr. Wink from Granton. The injured man was removed to the brother’s home where he died some two hours later. The bullet had passed through the brain, inflicting a wound beyond medical or surgical help.

Deceased was born in Richland County, March 21, 1897, and has nearly reached the age of 33 years. In 1909 he came with his mother and brothers to Clark County the family settling in the town of Fremont. He was naturally mechanical, learned the blacksmith trade and became quite an expert machinist. He was called into service during the War and was stationed at Atlanta for training, but was discharged because of nervous troubles. After his return home he built a blacksmith shop, which he carried on, a few miles west of Chili, living with his mother, Mrs. Ellen McHone, in a house near the home of her other son Lester. He helped his brother Lester in his saw mill during the sawing season and also helped Lester run a threshing rig.

His untimely death has caused deep sorrow in the family among his friends in the community. He is survived by his mother, four brothers, Lester, Virgil, Freeman and Francis, and two sisters, Mrs. Neil Downer of the town of York and Miss Alice McHone of Dubuque, Iowa.

The funeral was held at the Lester McHone home Saturday afternoon, Rev. G. W. Longenecker officiating. Burial took place in Granton Cemetery. The pall bearers were ex-service men. American Legion members attended in a body and a firing squad gave military honors at the grave.