Early Thursday evening, December 11, 1919, the residents of Upper Jay, New York were startled by the sad intelligence that Edward P. Call, foreman on the Wallace Craig Smith estate, had been found dead with a bullet wound through his head. The body was discovered by John Downs, brother-in-law of the deceased, and was found upstairs in the barn resting upon the hay.
Mr. Call, who was nearly thirty-four years of age, had worked about fourteen years for Wallace Craig Smith. He had married twice, the first wife being Elizabeth Roberts, who died six years previous, leaving two children with the husband to mourn her departure. One of the little ones has since been with the grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Antoine Roberts, while the other has found a kind home with Mr. and Mrs. John Buckley of Keeseville.
Mr. Call again married and his widow was formerly Margarette Downs of Peru. Three little ones by this marriage will sadly miss a father's guarding love.
Mr. Call was noted for his steadiness and hard work. Few men could outwork "Ed" Call. He was no shirker, but, if anything, overworked and seemed to take delight in it, although his kind employer and friends might urge him to spare himself. Perhaps it was his hard work which told upon his body, bringing a rather lingering illness. He suffered from the influenza during the epidemic of 1918 and was later hospitalized at the Champlain Valley hospital where his tonsils were removed and he received other treatment, as he suffered much from rheumatism. He had worked off and on since the forepart of the previous July but the man who worked was not the same as the one who had worked before attacked by the influenza. However, he was recovering and his faithfullness had secured him a position which he might have held indefinitely, but this was not to be so.
On Thursday evening he finished a hearty supper and after smoking awhile went out to do a few chores. When the deceased failed to return in half an hour, his brother-in-law went to the barn to learn if he was suffering again from a severe attack of rheumatism as he had at some times. The lights were burning but the cattle had not been attended. No one was to be found. After calling, Mr. Downs turned to go back to the house when he noticed that the lights upstairs in the barn were turned off. Snapping them on he went upstairs and there found the lifeless form of the young foreman. Rushing downstairs he at once informed Dr. Smith, who rushed to the scene and in company with Alexie Roberts, who also had been summoned, gave examination. Evidently death had been instantaneous.
The funeral services were held on Sunday, December 14th, at the Roman Catholic church at Au Sable Forks, Father O'Connor teaching a most comforting sermon. Mass was held on Monday morning.
Besides the wife and children the deceased left a mother, five brothers and four sisters to mourn his demise. The widow and children will go to reside with the grandmother at Peru, New York.
