Bound Volumes, Hometown History

November 14, 2024

90 YEARS AGO

Brooding over the death of his parents a few years ago, and despondent because he was left with almost no near relatives, Ellery A. McGinnis, 28 years old, went to his mother’s grave in Glenwood cemetery yesterday afternoon and ended his life by putting a bullet from a .32 caliber revolver through his head. Dr. Norman W. Getman of Oneonta, Otsego County coroner, visited the scene and inspected the body. Dr. Getman concluded that the man “died by his own hand.” He issued a verdict of suicide and directed that the body be removed to the Bookhout Funeral Home. Authorities investigating the case searched the man’s clothes and found several bullets and a note that read: “To Whom It May Concern: You may think you know what is wrong, but you don’t. What I know I am taking with me.” Vincent Tobey, a Bennett taxi driver, was hired by McGinnis to take him to Glenwood cemetery. Upon reaching a point in the cemetery, Mr. McGinnis instructed Tobey to “Wait here for me as I will only be gone a few minutes.” As Tobey was cleaning his windshield, he heard a noise and saw McGinnis topple over. Tobey notified patrolman August Otto who was directing traffic at the East End school. Otto rushed to the scene but found McGinnis was dead.

November 1934