The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1877-08-01
SAD END OF DIR. HERMAN DIET
EEL.
He Commits Suicide at the Uniol
House by Taking strychnine.

He Commits Suicide at the Union
House by Taking strychnine.
For the past FIVE or six years DR.. Her.
man Dietzel has been in this city. He was
a talented and we'll educated physician,
and, for while after his arrival here, he
but he soon commenced to
drink, and his patients deserted him. For
the last three years he has been wander
ing about the city, poor, worthless,
drunken wretch, sleeping in sheds, under
the trees in Court square, and other places,
and depending upon charity to furnish
him with food. Last spring Mr.. E.
Breunert,o the Havper House drug store,
and John Mueller, proprietor of the Union
House, took compassion on him and
bought him suit of clothes, on his prom
Use to reform-and Mr.. Miller volunteered
to board him until he could make enough
money to support himself He kept his
promise until about three weeks ago,
when he again fell into his old habits of
filth and drunkenness.
Yesterday morning he left the Union
House and went to the post Office, after
his mail. After he returned he proceeded
Immediately to his room-and that is the
last time he was seen alive! The cham
bermaid went to his room in the afternoon,
but as the door was locked, she supposed
he was sleeping off the effects of one of his
drunken sprees, and did not modest him.
This morning, however, on going to his
room, and finding the door still locked, she
informed Mr., Miller,-and he proceeded
to the room. Upon unlocking the door he
was Mortified to see the DR.. lying on his
back on the floor, with one foot resting il
chair.-dead.
Mr.. Miller Immediately notified Act
ing Coroner Hayden, and the body was
taken to the carriage room at G. B, Knox
place, where an inquest was held. Fol
lowing are the names of the jury: 2. D.
Drake, foreman; Jonas Bear, 2. P. Pineo
f. G. Coss, A. Loeb, John Retiker, B. j
Perrin, N. Folsom, II. P. Hull, NJ. W
Childs, Michael Kane and J. S. Hardy.
After hearing the evidence of severa
witnesses, and examining the medicine ant
papers of the deceased, the jury, by I
unanimous vote, decided not to submit tn
body to post nsortem examination, as tn
appearance of the body, and the evidenc
of the witnesses went to show that it was
clear case of suicide, and that he came t
his death from taking dose of POISON, be
lieved to be strychnine-as a small bottl
which still contained particles of the poiso
was found on table in his room. Tn
jury then returned verdict in accordanc
with the above.
From letters found on his person 1t ap
peared that Dietzel was SO years of age
that he bad been LIST surgeon in the So
Regiment Illinois Volunteers; had bee
hospital steward in Company G. 4th Req
ment Missouri V olunteers, and also surgeo
in the 18th Regiment Mo. Vols, aud wa
honorably discharged in each instance
that he has wife and three children
two girls and one boy-in Hermann, Mo
that he had married his wife, Eliza, in OF
position to her parents wishes, and ha
then deserted her; that she had frequent
-, sent him money to return to her,-an
her letters to him, written in German, al
said to be very loving, and in each she e,
pressed her forgiveness for his faithle
conduct, and her desire that he should r
turn to her and his family; and that |
has sister, Mary Mara Tor Mark, liviu
in Sunny Side, Tenn.
There was nothing among his paper
' and he had said nothing to his friend
giving any reason for the rash act,
Mr.. i. Kiesow who was well acquaint'
= with the deceased, and at whose reque
> Dietzel came to this city, says he is WI
" connected; that his father-in-law, Augu
Nasse, keeps a drug store in Herman
Mo-, and is a wealthy and highly respectt
citizen; and also, that his brother in-la
- Mr., Nasse, keeps large wholesale groce
. in St, Louis, Mr.. Kiesow telegraphed
Mr.. Nasse, in Hermann, the death of /
son-in-law, and asked as to what disp
sition should be made of the body
At what hour Dietzel died is not know
but when the body was found it was q
< discolored, though the features and lin
lie were badly distorted and cramped fro
lie the effects of the poison. He must ha
re died after midnight, however, for WI
ut Roisch, Sen, boarder, says he hea
ii groans 10 the room above him (Dietzel
is about 1880 o'clock, and afterwards hea
at noise as if somebody had fallen on t
D, foor-probably made by the deceas
IT when he fell from the chair.
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