Willis - Joseph Martin
Source: Waveland Independent newspaper, Waveland, Montgomery County, Indiana Friday Nov 20, 1903
"By the Quick Route" -- Dr. JM Willis, of Alamo, committed suicide, Tuesday night by shooting himself. He stood before the mirror to do the deed and as suicide has been a hobby with him for a number of years, he did a perfect job. He left this message; "Men often make mistakes, but who has made a greater mistake than I?" -- typed by kbz
Source: Crawfordsville Daily Journal, Crawfordsville, Montgomery County, Indiana November 16, 1903
The funeral of Joseph M. WILLIS, the suicide medicine manufacturer, was held Sunday at 10 a.m. in a store room of the unoccupied business block erected by him in Alamo and in the room directly below where the strange man took his own life some time early last week. The ante-mortem request of the dead man that a band of national reputation attend his funeral and furnished music, was not followed and neither was the provision that if it should be impossible to secure such a bard that the Crawfordsville band should be secured as a last resort. Why this last request of the dead man was not followed remains unanswered. All interested parties say it is the fault of some one else, but the fact remains that there was no band as provided for. Undertaker Barnhill states that the band boys did not care to play on account of the reference made to them in the ante-mortem statement, that there would have to be an advance of the money to secure an outside band and the Trust Company, of Crawfordsville would not do that. The management of the band say that nothing was said to them about playing, but they would have done it as it was the money not sentiment they are after. Mr. Sparks, of the Trust Company, was called upon, but was out of town. Mr. Naylor, acting for him, said that he did not know why there was not music and plenty of it.-- typed by kbz
Source: Indianapolis News Fri 13 Nov 1903 p 15
Crawfordsville, Nov 13 – Dr. Joseph Willis, a wealthy and eccentric manufacturer of a well-known proprietary medicine committed suicide last Wednesday at Alamo, his body not being found until this morning. He had killed himself by firing a bullet into his forehead and although the shot was heard at the time by people in the neighborhood, it was not located. Today it was observed that he had not been seen for some time and a search disclosed his body. On his folding bed he had posted a written statement four feet long announcing he had contemplated suicide for some time. He gave no reason but set forth a number of instructions to be followed, among other things requesting the cremation of his body. Willis resided in Crawfordsville until a short time ago when he erected a large building at Alamo and removed there. He was regarded as a shrewd business man, but miserly. He is a brother-in-law of Mrs. Ella Willis and Mrs. LL Culver of Indianapolis, the latter the widow of the millionaire stove manufacturer of St. Louis. A nephew, Lewis Willis also lives in Indianapolis. - kz
Source: Crawfordsville, Indiana Weekly Review April 10, 1908 p 23
The ashes of Joseph M. Willis, formerly of Alamo, who committed suicide several years ago, have been received by the Crawfordsville Trust Company for the Missouri Crematory Association of St. Louis, which cremated the body after his death in accordance with the terms of his will. By the will, in which the trust company was named as executor , Mr. Willis expressed the desire that his body be cremated and then place in the monument which he asked to have erected for him at Oak Hill. The monument will soon be put in place at the cemetery and the ashes placed in it. Another request which he made was that music be furnished by a brass band when his ashes were interred. - kz