While searching for Meitzler information at the WorldVitalRecords website today, I ran across a newspaper item about a bank cashier by the name of George W. Meitzler who went home and shot himself while the bank examiner was auditing accounts at the Union Central Bank in May, Idaho. This all took place in 1921 – nearly 90 years ago, so the incident has been long-forgotten. I knew Meitzler lived in Idaho, and I have an old Idaho postcard around the house somewhere whose photographer was George W. Meitzler. But until today I didn’t know about this guy’s sudden death.
The newspaper item reads as follows: “Mackay, Idaho, Aug 27 – George W. Meitzler, cashier at the Union Central bank in May, committed suicide Thursday morning by shooting himself at his home at May. Mr. Meitzler went to the bank that morning, opened up and received the state bank examiner. A few minutes thereafter he excused himself and went home, saying that he would be back in a few minutes, and after an hour or so a messenger was sent to the house and discovered the body in the basement. Mr. Meitzler left no word and there can be no cause ascribed for his act. The bank examiner found the affairs at the bank in perfect shape.” See the Original Newspaper at WorldVitalRecords.com
George was from a different line of Meitzlers than my family, having been born in Indiana 24 November of 1860 or 1861 (conflicting information). According to the 1900, 1910, and 1920 census, his wife’s name was Uma. According to his death record, found at FamilySearch.org, George died on the 24th of August, 1921, and was buried in the Salmon, Idaho Cemetery on the 26th. His father was John Meitzler, born in Germany, and his mother was Mamie Landers who was born in Kentucky.
The WorldVitalRecords.com website has thousands of databases, including newspapers from the NewspaperARCHIVES website. This item on George W. Meitzler was a particularly interesting clipping that I wouldn’t have run across if I hadn’t done a quick search. According to the WVR website, the WorldVitalRecord.com collection from NewspaperARCHIVE.com contains select newspapers from 1759 to 1923. Currently online 1890 – 1891, 1892 – 1893, 1894 – 1895, 1896 – 1897, 1898 – 1899, 1900 – 1901, 1902 – 1903, 1904 – 1905, 1906 – 1907, 1921 – 1922 and 1923. WorldVitalRecords.com is currently running a special on memberships – . You might want to check it out. I have an affiliate relationship with WorldVitalRecords.com, and have for many years. In fact, they have a lot of my data on their website.
