The body of Fay H. Smith, 42 years old, an insurance salesman, was found shot through the heart on the north Sand Springs road yesterday afternoon. He had used a 12-gauge shotgun to end his life, county authorities who investigated said.
A note was found in his pocket saying a letter to his wife would be in their post office box, John Evans, county criminal investigator, revealed.
Business worries apparently formed the suicide motive, although Mrs. Smith said last night she had not opened his letter yet, preferring to wait, Smith had been western sales manager for the Williamsport Wire Rope company. However, he had not been active in its employ since last summer, J.A. Dudley, manager of the Tulsa branch, said.
The Tulsan had been missing since he telephoned his wife at 5:40 o'clock Monday afternoon that he would shortly return to their Sophian Plaza apartment for dinner. Mrs. Smith first reported his absence to police about 5 o'clock yesterday morning.
The body was found at 5 o'clock yesterday afternoon by W. D. Ege, who reported immediately to the sheriff's office. Ege had seen Smith's automobile parked in a lane 100 yards from the road and went over to borrow some gasoline, he told officers.
He saw the dead man lying 20 feet from the car, crumpled over the shotgun. His body had broken the gun stock in falling. He apparently had leaned over the gun and used a stick to push the trigger. The keys to his auto were found in his pocket.
Smith was seen Monday noon at the Williamsport Wire Rope company office, 603 East Fourth street, and was described as being cheerful and in good spirits. When he telephoned his wife at 5:40 o'clock he had said he would be home "in two minutes."
A native of Cedar Falls, Iowa, Smith went to Muskogee at the age of 17, where he was employed by the Atlas Supply company. His home was there until he came to Tulsa in 1920, but meantime he had completed his education at the University of Chicago. He met Mrs. Smith at Indianapolis.
Several years after coming to Tulsa, he was sent by the Williamsport company to Casper, Wyoming. He spent two years there and was moved again to Portland, Oregon. He was returned to Tulsa in December, 1932.
Smith was a Mason. There were no children. The body was taken to the Martin Fleming funeral home.
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