The union Democrat., 1869-03-20
Suicide Of u Sonora Merchant.

the men of forty-nine have passed away.
Suicide ETA sonora Merchant.
Last Sunday evening about nine O'Clock
the body of Selig Ritzwoller a dry goods deal
er of this place, was found in bis store hang
ing by the neck, to q rope which was fasten-
ed to one of the uprights supporting the
shelves. His wife and children upon return
ing from an evening visit to one of the neigh
bors, found the store securely fastened, after
calling to her husband for sometime, receiv-
ing no answer, and not being able to get in
the house, she returned to her neighbours,
and told them that something must have hap
pened, as the doors were all locked, that she
had knocked, called her husbands name, and
could get no answer. Mr.. Pinto then went
to the Store with her, knocked and called to
Rtzwoller, getting no answer, he'went for
Mr.. Kaufman. Not being able to open the
iron doors they dug a hole through the back
wall of the building large enough to gain an
entrance. Upon entering the store his body
was found suspended, still warm. DR.. Walk
er cut the rope and upon examination found
that life was extinct.
The deceased was q native Of Prussia,
forty four years Of age, and has been resi-
dent of this county for several years. He
was very quiet, peaceable man, aud a good
citizen, always attending strictly to his own
business. The cause assigned for the rash
and melancholy act was lowness of spirits
caused by the depression of trade. lie left
a letter which will be found among the testi-
mony given before the Coroner's jury which
is published below. Heleaves widow and
three young children to mourn his unexpect-
ed death.
CoRoNERs INQUEST ON THE BODY OF sELIG
RITzwoLLER.
John Walker sworn. Says he is Ply
sician and resides in Sonora. About 9 O'Clock
P. NJ, March I4th, was summoned to the
residence of deceased, when l entered the
store found the deceased suspended by the
neck, the body quite warm. | cut the body
down to endeavor to restore or recuscitate
him. but found that life was extinct. Deceas-
ed came to his death from strangulation,
having suspended bimself by the neck with a
cord. | entered through the front door.
am quite certain that deceased came to his
death by his own hand.
John Alternately sworn. At about 9 O'Clock
P. NJ, March l4th, was at the front door,
and entered the store of deceased and found
him hanging by the neck TO one of the stanch-
ions between the shelves and he was dead,
as soon as we entered DR.. j. Walker rushed
up and cut down deceased. helped to car
~ him around and lay him on the floor at the
request of DR.. Walker, small stool vas at
the place where deceased was hanging.
A Mock sworn. Says he was acquainted
with deceased that his name is Selig Ritzwol-
Ter. Have known him thirteen years, he
was a native of Germany, think he was about
40 years of age. was married and had fam
ly wife and three children. When | went
home my boy told me something was the
matter at Ritzwoller's. | went around to the
back of his residence and found number of
persons breaking through the wall to get in
to the house. Mr.. Pinto was the first to en-
ter and MIR. Kaufmas followed him, Dennis
Ryan and myself then went in, when we en-
tered the store we found Ritzwoller hanging
bv the neck along side the shelves. Some
body opened the front door aud DR.. Walker
and some other persons came in, and the de-
ceased was cut down and efforts made to re-
cuScitate him.
A Pinto sworn. Says I was at Kaufman's 8
on II visit, Mrs. Ri.zwolier was there, she was
there not quite halfan hour. this was between
eight and nine o'clock March l4th. She
went out of kaufman's and came back, stat
ing that something must have happened her
husband, as the doors were all closed and
locked. and she had Knocked on the doors
called his name and could get no answer. A
few minutes after l went with her and the
children, knocked on the door and called his
name, but could get no answer, went to the
back doors and knocked and called his name
aud go, no answer, Mrs. Rtzwoller told me
that when she left home, she left him there
writing letters. l went to the front door
again and looking through q crack in the door
saw there was small light in the store,
when saw SO small light in the store
suspected something had happened, told
her TO wait there and | went over to Kauf-
man $ and called him to come over with me.
we went to the back part of the house again,
and asked c. Donner, a blacksmith, to try
and get open the back door, but we could not
open the iron doors, we then broke through
the wall at the back of the chimney. made
hole and was the first person who entered
the house. Dennis Ryan handed me lam
tern and came in right after me. went to
the right hand to look for him but could not
see him. Ryan went to the left hand and
exclaimed to me Pinto there he is stand
ing" l then looked and saw him hanging
with his face towards the shelves. He was
suspended by the neck. called Mr. Kauf-
man who had come in by the same way we
entered, and be went to the front door and
opened it to admit Or. Walker whom we had
sent for, DR.. Walker and some others now
came in. The Doctor Immediately cut the
rope to try 10 restore or recuscitate deceased,