At the time of Hemingway’s death, his wife, Mary, informed the press that the death had been accidental. According to the New York Times obituary, Hemingway shot himself by accident while cleaning the weapon.
The Blaine County Sheriff Frank Hewitt told The Times that the death appeared to have been accidental and there was no sign of foul play. Mary Hemingway said in the statement at the time, “Mr. Hemingway accidentally killed himself while cleaning a gun this morning at 7:30 A.M. No time has been set for the funeral services, which will be private.”
The obituary also mentioned Hemingway’s two visits to the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota, but mentioned nothing about a question of mental health or of the electroshock therapy that Hemingway received during his first visit. The only illnesses stated in The Times were high blood pressure and a “very old case of hepatitis.” According to the obituary, Hemingway’s physician described his health at the time of death as “excellent.”
The obituary included a brief biography, highlighting his literary achievements and some details of his fascinating life. Also mentioned was Hemingway’s father’s suicide, creating a possible link between the two events.
An update appeared at the bottom of the obituary and may have been added after first publication. In the added part of the story were comments from the coroner who investigated Hemingway’s death.
“I can only say at this stage that the wound was self-inflicted,” Coroner Ray McGoldrick said. “The wound was in the head. I couldn't say it was accidental and I couldn't say it was suicide. There wasn't anybody there.”
Hemingway’s death even elicited a response from the President of the United States at the time, John F. Kennedy. The President mourned the death of a man he called “one of America’s greatest authors and a great citizen of the world.”