James Wardle takes own life here this A. M.

This story was published by The Ypsilanti Daily Press on Wednesday, April 5, 1922.

Despondency brought on by several days’ illness is believed to have caused James Wardle, 70, to take his own life by hanging in a barn at the rear of his son’s home, 126 North Huron Street, early this morning. The body was found hanging from rafter in the basement of the barn about 8:30 today by William Boutell, rural mail carrier who had gone to get his horse which he keeps there. He notified police.

By strange co-incidence this is the same barn in which Harrison Fairchild, well known Ypsilanti man, ended his life by hanging a little over four years ago.

Mr. Wardle, who for many years lived in the vicinity of Oakville, was well known in Ypsilanti, and for some time past had made his home in rooms in the Post block at 17 North Huron Street. He was the father of Waldo Wardle, well known rural mail carrier.

According to the son, Mr. Wardle had not been feeling well for a week or ten days, although he had not been confined to bed. He had complained little and had never made a threat of taking his own life. Mr. Wardle said to stopped at his father’s rooms about seven o’clock this morning, while he was enroute to work, and that his father appeared to be in god sprits and feeling somewhat improved.

Less than tow hours later when Boutell entered the Wardle barn, he found the aged man hanging from a rafter.

A coroner’s inquest was deemed unnecessary.

Besides his wife, four children survive. Waldo of Ypsilanti; Roy , Minneapolis, Minn,; Jay, North Yahoma, Wash,; Mrs. Belle Hasley, Maybee.

No arrangements for the funeral have yet been made.