Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1871-09-27
SaGicide en- lie Couat2y ,Jo;y.

From the Jefferson Banner we learn that the
village of Jefferson was the scene Of first
class sensation on Sunday of last week,
when 1t was discovered that a prisoner
named Christopher Bruch, confined in the
County Jail, had committed suicide some
time during the night, by hanging himself
to the bed post in his cell. Early on Sun
day morning he was discovered by the
| turnkey as he was going his usual rounds
Bruch had taken portion of his bed clothes
and placed them upon the floor, and with a
| piece OF bed cord tied round the bed post
and thence around his neck he strangled
himself. When found he was stiff and cold,
| having apparently been dead for several
hours. His position on the floor face
downward, with his arms folded on his
breast and his head almost touching the
floor was sufficient to unnerve the strongest
and cause the most fearless to shudder.
Ut course it is all conf ecture as to when
the unfortunate man committed the
deed, but persons in an adjoining cell state
that they heard a noise where Bruch was
confined about II o'clock Saturday night,
at which time it is thought be must have
ended his existence
Sheriff Swellenbach at once summoned a
corouers jury and they returned a verdict
of death from his own hands A few months
since we published an account of the arrest
ofthis man Bruch for completely in the
burning of his sonia laws property in the
} town of Hebron. The son-in-Iaw Kluch and
81 son OF Bruch were arrested at the same
time kIuch turned states evidence, thus
placing the crime on Bruch and his son. who
had procured bail, and young Bruch fear
ing he would be arrested again, attempt
ed to escape, it is supposed, and in doing so
was drowned in Rock river, above Fort At
kinson. 1t has never become quite clear
whether the drowning was intentional or
accidental, but from circumstances which
have since tIanspired it is safe to presume
that the young man mads away with him
self.
The old man Bruch and his son-in law
kIuch were given up by their bail and
lodged in jail to await trial at the present
term ofthe Circuit Court And now comes,
perhaps, the direct cause for the old man
committing suicide. About a year ago a
man by the name of Klitzkey, living ia He
bron, near neighbor of old man Bruch,
had barn burned under mysterious cir
cumstances. Old man Bruch and Klitzkey
had had some difficulty, and it was strongly
suspicioned that Bruch had burned the
building, although he claimed to be inno-
cent of the charge. Becoming convinced
that Bruch committed the incendiarism,
Klitzkey sued the old man on the Friday
previous to the suicide, Marshal Emery. of
Fort Atkinson, serving the summons the
next day, Saturday Bruch told the Sher-
if that as he knew of nothing he was owing
klitzkey itmust preference to the burning
Of the barn 1t IS evident the SUNNI ons prey
ed on the old mans mind to such a degree
as to lead him to the rash act he com mitted
He had often stated that both his son, who was
drowned and his son-in-laW Nuch, now in
jail; often urged him to commit suicide and
thus clear them. But the old man said be
would never kill himselfas he thought as
much OF his life as they did, even if ne was
an old man, He was about 55 years Of age.
The Bruch family seem to be hard
crowd, and badly depraved. A sad picture
is presented by the taking off Of two in one
family by suicide within a few months