Hugh T. Tittle, Grocer, Dies of Gunshot Wound
Self Inflicted, Coroner’s Jury Says. Funeral Services to Be Friday.

Hugh T. Tittle, operator of a grocery store and gas station on the Salem Road for years, died at 5:50 p. m., yesterday at his store of a self-inflicted shotgun wound. His age was 44 years, nine months and 12 days.

He died almost instantly from a chest wound, made by his .16 gauge single barrel shotgun.

Clyde Droll of Bonnie, who worked for Mr. Tittle, had just left the store and gone next door to the gasoline station when the tragedy occurred.

Testifyingat an inquest conducted today by Coroner Ben Roeder, Droll said he had been gone from the store only a few minutes and that, when returning, he met Mrs. Helen Lively, who said she had heard an explosion in the store.

“I ran into the store and called Hugh,” Droll said. “He did not answer and I ran into the back room and then found him lying on the floor in the store back of the meat counter. I picked the gun up and set it back where it had been since hunting season.”

Testimony showed that the gun was lying near Mr. Tittle when he was found.

Droll testified that Mr. Tittle I had been in poor health for some time.

Among those who testified was Cloyd Bolerjack, who said that I when he was in the store only a short time before the tragedy. Mr. Tittle did not. seem depressed or worried while waiting on customers.

Mrs. Helen Lively, of the Salem Road, told the coroners jury that just as she opened the door to enter the grocery store “I heard a shot. It was so muffled it sounded like an explosion.”

The coroner s jury returned a verdict of death from “gun shot wounds self-inflicted.”

Funeral Friday

Funeral services will be held Friday at 2:00 p. m., at Myers Chapel, with the Rev Cyrus Maulding officiating, and burial will be in Bethel cemetery.

The body will remain at Myers Chapel, where friends may call after 10:30 a. m., Thursday.

Mr. Tittle had operated a grocery store and gasoline station on the Salem Road, at Warren Ave., for several years.

He was born May 12, 1902 in Dodds township, the son of Thomas R. and Nettie (Pottorff) Tittle.

An August 3, 1929 he was married to Mary L. Droll Neal, who survives.

Besides his wife, he is survived by three brothers, Henry of Alton; Frank of Mt. Vernon and John of Michigan City, Ind.; five sisters, Mrs. Myrtle Willmore Mrs. Sidney Hale and Mrs Lela Quinn of Mt. Vernon. Mrs. Addie Willmore of Opdyke and Mrs. Nettie Wells of Bonnie.

Source: Unknown
Date: Unknown
Transcribed by: Maria Bare