The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-07-01
lIARLEM'S LATEST SUICIDE.
HENRY KETTERER's BLINDNESS FOL
LOOTED ny PARALYSIS.
Choosing Death Rather than Life NJ. u UNrd
Man Property slipping from hts Hands,
and his BODY and his u rain Breaking Down.

Choosing Death Rather than Life n. % U,,d
Man-Propcr,y slipping from his Hands,
and his body and his Brain Breaking Down.
Deputy Coroner MacWhinnic, with Drs,
Brockway aud Wilder, made nm autopsy ycster-
day on the body Of Henry Kcttcrcr. who COM
mittcd suicide I'm Harlem on Friday. Mr. Ket-
tcrcr came from Switzerland to tho United
Stutes about twelve years ago. and obtained em-
poyment rs II matchmaker and jcweer. He
WIS Of fine appearance. and was n skilful work.
man. lie married n Swiss woman several years
ago. and by her mad ono child. which is now
about eighteen months OF age. The family
lived happily in Del Nortc. Colorado. until six
months ago. Then Mr. Kcttcrcr's eycsight be-
gan to fail. He was unable to do some OF tho
fine work of his trnde unless he wore n very
strong ghss., IN tptn OF tho diseouraLan9
opinions of the Colorado physicians. he hoped
10 obtain help from some oi the ominen!
q large amount Of real estate. aud had blocks II
buildings that brought in good rentals. Ho
felt. therefore. that he was able to procure tha
worry best advice that o'ulists could give. Ho
started Tor this city about two months ago. just
then there nrns' difficulty i'm regard To the routs
81 Tho railroad TINT had been surveyed through
Del Noric. and n was feared that tho route
might be so altered that it would not touch that
toWn. ms would cause great depreciation oil
ON their arrival In this city Mr.. Ketterer and
his family went to live with his wife's brother
nj Third avenue and l2Gth street. The first
consultation with an Qcust drew forth an un-
tuNpfubl" opinion ana AtterWnrd Mr.. ketterpr
said that he preferred to die rather than live n
blind man. lie reiterated this to his wife and
his brOther-in-laW On one occasion, while they
wore walking in the Central Park Mr. Kotterer
said TINT unless he could secure some benefit to
his eyes. he dii not care TO live any longer. Ha
proposed to undergo II thorough examination
by Drs Knapp AMI Pomrroy. They innde the
examination, AMI told him that there was no
help tor the diseusr. which was decay Of the OPP
uc nerve. When he WAS returning with his wife
niterwnrd, Mr.. kettrrcr was So shocked by tha
decision that he tainted in the cars Soon after
Del Nortc with bad news His property there
WIS 50 much injured by the decision In regard
To- the rairond that his income WIS almost en-
trely cut on. HE tenants quit the stores and
sought more advantageous plnccs. His wife
encouraged him nll she could. assuring him Of
her devotion 20 his interests, and saying that
she could WORK 10 support both.
On Monday n Inst week. without the slightest
warning, Mr.. Ketterer was struck down by par
nysis. He had lust arisen from the breakfast
His RIGHT side was purnlyzcd. II wife
attended him with unfultrriug ussidnity:
hut hope was gone und he contrm plated
only death. On Friday afternoon he went
into his bedroom md lay down. His vito
was at work at n sewing machine in nm
other room. A abort time alterwnii he steFped
out OF the bedroom and sat down in nchnir n
the halfway, saving that ne felt cooler th"rc io
asked 70 have his child brought to him. hUt ms
wife told him II WIS usleep and must not poe d So
shut the door. An hour later his wit. went
away from the sewing machine and looked M
the bedroom. Her husband seemed toh" luift
sleeping. Her quick glance. howry =. t,us a
the Tact that there was u red spot on hi. s'ltt
bosom and n small pistol lay near d.. 80
arm. He had shot himself in tho ahd ''f"u. p
died on saturday. twenty-four hours a.tr. ;ns
shot was fired.