The New York herald., 1877-10-14
A PECULIAR SUICIDE.

PATRIARCHAL GERMANS DETERMINED
EFFORT TO REACH ''rHE SILENT LAND
NAIVE MESSAGE TO A SON.
lfrom the Dubuque Qowa) Times, Sept. 30l
A suicide was discovered IN the upper part OF the
town yesterday morning, which undoubtedly was com.
miited on Wednesday morning. The victim Mr..
William Hauser, the fathcr-innw OF ME. William
HoluagcI, who keeps the grocery the corner Of
Coulter avenue and Eagle Point avenue. Friday even.
Ing boy employed about tho premises, named Friiz
Tor Frcd) woodrch. going out to iced the horse,
smeed something peculiar and disagrecabe but SAID
nothing about u ~ tue time. Yesterday morning. on
gong 10 The stable tho same smell assaled him more
strongly, and he began TO look ABOUT Tor tho cause.
Then he saw some blood oozing through The ceiling
above and dropping on the ioor below Al this
he went 10 the house and told old Mr. Honaacl
uather Of the grocery keeperi. aud tho Old
and the boy went out to Investigate the matter.
Tho boy went up Tho stars leading To the lon
the head OF the stairs "a small door leading IRON
tho apartment, In which the hay was kept into the
smaller one IN which the straw was kept and looking
through INTO this tho boy the corpse oi old Mr.
Hauser, not exactly hanging, Tor the lower paris
rested on the lyor The suicide had leaned . board
against the partition, fastened one end OF tho rope
the upper end Of the board put the lowcr eEd
Of the rope about his neck and 20 stranged himself
The distance was SO suort that he had TO bend his
knees that ms legs below the knees were horizontal
IN not to rest upon the aoor and even that was
not sufficient: so he bent his legs at the thighs and
thus by great muscular effort AZ contraction had
brought his weight 10 bear upon tho rope The rope
not tied in "a moose but with knot that left u
loose ABOUT the neck, that ~ dId necessarily
choke him the contrary, The loop was largo thai
he could have taken his head out oil it nj any time
had he chosen fhIs to SHOW The deliberate
determination with which tho old man took his lie.
Our reporter visited the scene OF the tragedy. fhe
stencil uncomfortable, and prevented close ap
proach u the corpse. Tue body had been cut down.
lay the floor OF the stable lon, close 10 where
II found Tue blood was oozlDg iroms sthc nose
ana mouth aud running down the head and shirt
front The body and lace were swollen and black
from fast progressing decomposition; but the largo
and powerfully built lraine, tue massive forehead aud
rugged and tho hair and abundant white
board gave the old mau patrlarcha appearance, even
IN of death and IN the m dst OF pureac-
In tho pocket oil the corpse was found letter or
note, the contents OF which have not officially been
made known; but TO the best memory OF one who saw
IL and read once, runs substantially as foows:
.Ihc letter addressed TO son IN 81 Louis, and
Is dated September 49, 1871. In 1t is enclosed plain
gold ring which Mr. Hauser had ueen IN the habit of
wearing. IL ID said that the writer had much trouble;
that frequently had TO 90 out and good while
aud that he feared he should yet do somcthing thas
Coz wouldn't IKE; and c,osed by bidding his son an
larpu pupll