People and incidents
Reily, Charles - Medford Suicide 1909
Documented incident
Charles Reily, a former Medford undertaker, was found dead near the north end of town in September 1909. Officials initially considered violence by another person, but their investigation concluded that he had taken his own life after a period of poor health.
Discovery and inquiry
Charles Reily, formerly an undertaker in Medford and father of undertaker William Reily, was found beside a country road near the bridge at Medford’s northern end at about 5 a.m. on Saturday, September 4, 1909. He had been shot twice behind an ear and once in the chest. Torn clothing, an empty pocketbook and an inside-out pocket initially raised suspicion of robbery and murder.
Prosecutor Atkinson, Sheriff Worrell, County Detective Parker and Coroner Seeds investigated. They found Reily’s revolver in his hand and three spent cartridges matching the wounds. Accounts from people who knew him said he had repeatedly discussed suicide while suffering from heart trouble. Officials therefore rejected homicide, and Seeds authorized burial before releasing the remains to William.
Reily had reportedly been seen in Philadelphia at about 5 p.m. Friday, September 3, but did not return on the last direct train to Medford. Investigators believed he instead took a late train to Mount Holly and began walking home, ending his life near the end of the journey. A separate clipping about a Charles Riley acquitted of obstructing Camden and Trenton Railway tracks near Beverly may concern a different person and is retained only as an unresolved research lead.
Source
The New Jersey Mirror, September 8, 1909, p. 3, col. 7. The additional Beverly railway clipping lacks a legible publication date.