Martin Luther Cless

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Obituary- Cless, Martin

Pioneer Rossville Citizen Takes His Own Life

M.L. Cless Found Dead Back of Son's Hardware Store With Bullet In His Brain

Mr. M.L. Cless, aged 87 years, 1 month and 17 days, one of the early settlers of this community ended his life Saturday afternoon sometime between 5:00 and 6:00 by shooting himself in the right temple with a .32 calibre revolver.

A shot was heard by Ed Baird and R.A. Shipley who were working across the alley, but thought nothing of it and did not investigate, and by Abe Patterson, who works in C.E. Cless's hardware. This was about 5:15 they say. Mr. Patterson went to the back door of the store and looked out but was prevented from seeing the body at the time by a number of implements standing between him and where the body lay, and thot no more of the incident.

The tragedy was discovered by Harry Jamieson who happened to pass back of the hardware store from the Hawk barber shop, shortly after 6 o'clock.

Mr. C.E. Cless who just arrived home from the store at 6 o'clock, was hastily summoned, and Dr. Miller notified. The latter got in touch with the coroner and the circumstances explained and permission was granted to remove the body. It was taken to the Charles Cless home.

The tragedy was a terrible shock to the relatives. Mr. Cless had been about town as usual Saturday and assisted Mr. C.E. Cless during the afternoon in setting up a wagon near the scene of his death. He did not appear under any particular melancholy mood and talked quite casually about ordinary things with his son Walter as late as 5 o'clock.

The revolver used was one that the deceased gentleman had owned for years and kept in his trunk with a number of old shells black with age.

Mr. Cless had been a resident in the community since March 1, 1876, coming here from Illinois. He was a native of Perry county, Pa., where he was born January 18, 1848. He was about 18 years old when he removed to Illinois, living there about ten years. He was married to Sarah A. Shearer in Illinois, January 14, 1869. Eight children were born to this union, two of the children, daughters preceeding him. Mrs. Cless passed away January 24, 1918.

A few years later Mr. Cless and his son, Clint, who had continued in the old home on Spruce street sold their house and since that time Mr. Cless had made his home with another son, Mr. A.A. Cless and Mrs. Cless.

Mr. Cless first settled on a farm west of Rossville owned at that time by Captain Gutshall, now occupied by the Fred Heiland family. Later the family moved east of Rossville on what is now the Morris Bond farm. This was vacated in 1891 and the town property purchased where Mrs. Cless passed away.

Mr. Cless is survived by six sons, W.H. of Denver, Colo., R.S., of Pueblo, Colo., Chas. E., A.A., J.W. and C.C. all of Rossville.

Funeral services were held in the Presbyterian church of which the deceased was a member, Monday afternoon at 2 o'clock, conducted by the Rev. H.L. Nelson, of Potwin, a former pastor of the Rossville church. Interment was made in the family lot in Rossville cemetery. Mr. Cless was also one of the earliest members of the A.O.U.W. lodge.

Out-of-town relatives here for the funeral included: Miss Maud Loy, Mr. James Loy, Mr. Emery Diehl and Mr. Engle, of Chapman; Mr. and Mrs. Frank Hassinger of TOpeka; Mrs. Louie O'Dell and daughter, Helen of Topeka; Mr. R.S. Cless, of Pueblo, Colo.