The Findlay Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Hancock County, Ohio) 1870-1881, 1875-10-22
DISTRESSING SUICIDE,
Jaeob SchWab, Esq, Cuts his Throat,
An Anxious Search for lhe Body.

Jacob SchWab, Esq, Cuts his Throat.
An Anxious Search for lbe Rody
] Since the death of Lis little son. in
May last, Mr.. JACOB SCHwAB. one of
our boot and shoe dealers, and man
held ia nigh estimation as a citizen. has
been much depressed IN spirits, so much
so as 10 be incapable of attending to
business. His insanity took the form of
melancholy and depression, and he was
taken to the Asylum, at Dayton, about
two months ago. Having somewhat re-
covered. it was thougIt best to bring
him hoine last Saturday. As soon a. he
reached home he inquired for his dead
boy, and it was at once apparent that his
mind was still uustrung. Kind neigh
bors and friends called on him. ana tried
to wean his mind off his troubles. He
was advised to go to his store, and by
close application to business endeavor to
forget his sorrow. He went to his place
ofbusiness, Monday and appeared much
better. On Tuesday morning he told
his wife he would do some collecting.
She tried to dissuade him from it. and
he then said he would go to his store.
He only came part way down Main
Street, and was seen afterwards on :he
Lima road. He rode out on a wagon
about one and halt miles, and started
south, giving as an excuse that he was
hunting his COW. Not returning at noon,
his wife became alarmed, and search
was made through the day and night.
Wednesday morning the fire-bells were
rung and about one hundred and fifty
men assembled at the Presbyterian
| Church, and under the leadership of
Mr.. JoHE PARKER, repaired to ByaI's
woods, where it was rumored he lad
last been seen, formed a line nearly
a mile in length, east and west, and
marching south, nearly three miles,
searched thoroughly. The line then
swung around across the Lima road and
returned. In Carlin's woods, about
~.
& Co.'S Tile Factory, Mr.. ELI ALsPACH,
on the right wing, discovered the re-
mains of Mr.. SCHwAB, passed the word
along the line, and soon the news reached
town and caused intense excitement.
When found, Mr.. S. was lying between
two trees which had fallen out of root.
He lay on his back, his arms extended at
right angles, his left hand still clasping
the kuife, which was half open, his left
leg drawn up, and his hat, which had |
fallen off, lying near. He had cut
small stick for a cane, which was leaned |
up against one of the fallen trees. Every |
thing around indicated the persistent, |
determined purpose of the insane man |
to accomplish his purpose.
Coroner FRANK CLINE, assisted by |
Prosecuting Attorney PENDLEToN, EN-
panneled a jury, consisting of the fol-
lowing persons, viz: WM. ANDERSON,
s. b. HUFFMAN. Z. q. DEWoLFE, JOHN
l.. HILL, V. H. KooNs and A. p. BYAL.
After viewing the body where it lay,
they adjourned to the rooms of J. r.
CLARK, Undertaken, where the follow
ing evidence was heard:
IState Of Ohio, H1RcocE County, iSS:
An inquest by the undersigned jury,
duly impannelled and sworn, was held on
the 20th day of October, ID. D., 1875, at
FindIay township, said county, over the
dead body of Jacob Sch @ab, who was
l., Il, n,
violence, Daniel +. Cline, Coroner of
said county, being personally present at
such inquest.
The following is the testimony of the
witnesses then and there examined be
fore said Coroner and jury, and which
was then and there reduced to writing,
in pursuance of the statute made and
provided:
Peter SttLteI, being duly sworn, stated:
l am twenty five years old, and IA har
ness maker by trade. | was acquainted
with Jacob Schwab, the deceased, and |
recognize this to he the body of Jacob
Scliwab. 1t was lying, when | first Saw
il, southwest of Findlay, about one
fourth of mile from the tile factory i'll
the edge of the woods. 1t was about 8
O'Clock this afternoon. Eli Alspitch and
Michael Newman (Second) was with me
searching for him. Alspach SAW him
first, and reported to us, and then |
called Newman, and We both went up
together; ne was lying on the east side
of where there was a tree blown out of
root, on his back, both arms stretched
out, with the left arm n little crooked,
with "A heavy po ket knife in his left
hand. All the wounds | saw WAS n cut
on the right side of his neck; his head
was living II little south of east with his
legs stretched out, one knee little
crooked. There was blood at his feet,
OH his shirt, end at the root of the tree,
and on his left hand. The knife was
half open; the large blade. There was
a few d ops of blood at the root of the
tree, and Il little a few feet away on the
log. The blood | saw on the ground was
a large quantity; also on the shirt was a
large quantity. He was dead when |
saw him. We gave the alarm, and the
rest that We're hunting for him came as
soon as they could
William Wise, being duly sworn said:
am shoemaker by trade and am %
years old. live in Findlay, and have
been acquainted with Jacob Schwab for |
the last eight years. | saw him alive
yesterday about half past one in the af-
tSrnOOn, on tie line DtIMetIl MI. Ildi-
ritt and Hyals lands, i'll the woods, about |
1-2 mile south west of where he was |
found. lie was in the act of swinging |
himself up in IL tree about 20 feet from
the ground, did not see him have any |
thing in his hands, when | got close to |
him he said that he saw a SQUIRREL and |
he got up to get better look at it but |
thought it had ran in hole. He asked |
me if | lived in Findlay, told him did, |
and then he asked my name, and told |
him. Nothing more was said between |
us, and L went OH, was hunting squr-
rels, | knew him when | saw him, he did |
not say how lie came there, there was
no person with him, he was dressed the |
same as when found dead, black coat
and pants, with a LACK felt hat
Michael Ne1CmGn, End, being duly |
sworn stated: | am a saloon keeper and i
thirty-eight years old. | was with Eli |
Alspach and Peter Stuffel hunting for
him (Schwabl. When we found him he
was dead | heard the testimony of Pc
ter StuffeI, and it is correct in every par
ticular ! saw a cut on the left side of
the neck. About three or four feet north
west of his feet was large quantity of
blood.
H l.: II,