Joseph A. Nolan
Joseph A. Nolan, editor and publisher of the Shabbona Chief, a frequent visitor to Sycamore, who was greeting acquaintances here three weeks ago, and well known especially to those active in political affairs, committed suicide in his printing office in Shabbona on Wednesday afternoon. When his daughter Blancher went from their home adjoining to call him to supper at about 7 o’clock, she found his body suspended from the neck in the press room. She called Dan Wilder who was passing, and the body was cut down. Life had been extinct but a short time, as the body was still warm.
Mr. Nolan was accidently shot in the back of the neck several years ago by his son who was handling a gun. He came near death, and was for a long time incapacitated. He never fully recovered. He became eccentric and irritable and despondent, and had been considered to some extent deranged. It was a hard struggle to make a living from a printing office in the village. He quarreled with his family, and after a little scene on Wednesday with his wife, who had been his hard working assistant in the office and home, he went to the printing office, and was seen no more alive. He had taken a strong cord from a bundle of paper and hung himself.
Joseph A. Nolan was known among his political associates as “Uncle Joe.” He came with his family several years ago from Chicago and bought the plant which he has since conducted.
In 1912 he was a candidate for member of the House of Representatives.
He was about 45 years of age. He leaves a wife and their six children, the eldest a daughter 15 years of age.
Source: Sycamore True Republican
