Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1877-11-30

entity passing In just In front OF the
right ear and out behind the left ear. A
messenger was dispatched to break the
news to Mr.. Reitler, who was almost
stunned thereby. He in turn broke the
fearful news to his wife, the mother OF
the young man. Our readers can imag-
inc, without description, the scene that
followed, and the almost mortal anguish
caused to that poor mother, Over this
we draw the veil
The body was brought to the home of
the family, and here Coroner Hunt en-
panneled jury, consisting of P. Nun
son, H. Birmingham and D. S. Deering,
and proceeded to take testimony as to
the cause of death. From the facts
elected at this inquiry, we learn that
there was nothing in the actions of
young Reitler, at any time before the
event, that gave hint of his purpose to
commit suicide. The night before, he
attended party of young people, and
appeared as joyous and free from care
as any one present. On the morning of
the fatal day, he came down town at a
late hour, and breakfasted at Frank s
restaurant. He then went about his
regular duties in his fathers store, and
sometime during the forenoon found
time to write the letters which were
found on his person, of which more
hereafter About 10 o'clock he went to
Happerfeld's store and examined the
revolvers, finally selecting one, which he
took away, saying that he wished to
show it to a man at the store before he
decided to purchase. After this he was
not seen at his fathers store, nor did he
90 home to dinner. A little after
o'clock, P. NJ. he was noticed going past
Joslin's store on Chatham street, to-
ward the railroad. Others thought they
saw him after that hour, but the testi-
mony is not positive. What followed
has already been described. Upon the
person Of the deceased were found two
letters, one addressed to his mother and
the other to young girl with whom he
had been keeping company Neither of
these letters gave any certain clue to
the motive which Influenced his rash act
That to his mother was filled with tender
affection, telling her not to mourn for him
as he was unworthy. The contents Of
the other letter threw no new light on
the matter, and was not closely scruti-
nized. 1t was evident that the act came
of morbid state of mind, resulting
from variety of causes, resulting in
temporary insanity, and the verdict of
the Coroner's Jury was in accordance
with this theory
This sad event was terrible blow to
the family, and the whole community
sympathised with them in the terrible
bereavement. Young Reitler was bur-
led on Tuesday, Revs. Kemp and Phelps
conducting the exercises.
The other case of attempted suicide
happily unsuccessful-occurred on
Friday evening, and was that of Abbie
Wilson, daughter of Jacob Wilson, who
lives in the southeast part of town. 1t
appears that there was disturbance of
the friendly relations of the family, and
that, for some waywardness, or other
trifing cause, Mr.. Wilson, who is a
man of quick temper, struck the girl,
who is almost young woman, with his
fist in the face. Smarting under the
shame and humiliation of the blow, she
took dose of strychnine, which it APP
pears she had purchased some time be-
fore. The deadly drug was taken dry
on her tongue, and before it had thor
oughly got into the circulation, Drs.
Brewer and Mellen were present, and
by prompt and skillful measures, saved
the girls life.
We wish to say, in explanation of the
above, that Mr.. Wilson called on us
Saturday morning, and first saying that
Mr. Barnhart had acceded to a similar
request, asked us not to mention the
circumstance in the paper. We did not
directly assent, but we think that Mr..
Wilson went away with the impression
that we would not publish this item of
news. We inwardly protested against
thus being muzzlcd in the exercise of the
peculiar prerogative of newspaper to
give the news, especially as we knew the
account would be telegraphed to Du-
buquc, and from there 60 all over the
State, but we should have respected
Mr.. Wilson's request if we had not been
convinced that it was made less out of
respect for his child than from desire
to keep out of sight his own, to say the
least, hasty and unnatural conduct in
the affair. We think, unless every re-
port bellies him, that he is far from
blameless, and that he needs little ad-
monition, so, with the kindcst feelings
in the world, we advise him to let this
almost tragedy teach him to better gov
ern his temper.
The Illinois Central Railroad compa-
ny arc now selling, and will continue to
Al