Obit: Allen, Wallace #2 (abt 1844 - 1913)

Contact: Ann Stevens

Email: ann@wiclarkcountyhistory.org

Surnames: Allen

----Source:  Neillsville Times (Neillsville, Clark County, Wis.)  July 24, 1913

Allen, Wallace (abt 1844 - 18 July 1913)

Friday afternoon Wallace Allen, one of the foremost business men of Loyal and for years a prominent man of affairs in this county and section of the state, shot himself, the bullet taking effect in his temple and death evidently being instantaneous.  The act was not observed by anyone, but it is supposed that Mr. Allen killed himself about 1 o’clock in the afternoon, the body not being found until about 2.  Financial worried are attributed as the cause of the rash act, although Mr. Allen was a man of considerable wealth and means.  But it is supposed that he worried over some recent losses and this worry probably caused a temporary derangement.

That the act was premeditated is shown by the fact that Mr. Allen wrote a number of letters to different persons in Loyal and elsewhere, making all arrangement for his burial, the settlement of his business affairs, etc.  He was a very careful business man and for two or three weeks it seems that he had been arranging his business, selling some property, and doing other transactions which would tend to leave his financial affairs in a well regulated shape.  He returned home from Waupaca Thursday night where he had spent several days with his wife and Friday had taken dinner with his sister.  After leaving the table he remarked that he would go home and write a few letters.  Shortly after the pistol shot was heard, but nothing was thought of it at that time and shortly after the body of Mr. Allen was found lying in the front yard of his home, and the discoverer of the body thought at first that Mr. Allen was lying there asleep.

The deceased was 69 years of age and is survived by his wife, one son and a sister.  He was possibly one of the best known men in the county, for he had been interested in its development in various ways for many years.  He was a large land owner, having large holdings in Virginia, Louisiana and Canada, and was also a large stock holder in the Queen mine.  He was a staunch friend and bore the highest respect and confidence of all who knew him.