Ottumwa weekly courier. (Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa) 1872-1899, 1878-12-25
HUNG HIasELF.
John W. Bozvtadt, q Travelling
Man, Commits Suicide
Hebra.ka CITY DAN, press.

EebraskA City Daily Press-
Five deaths by violence in Nebras
10 City within two weeks. What |
record for q law-abiding.mcrAl com
munity. The reign Of terror culmi
nated-we sincerely hope this morn
ing. Again, did this people awake
to learn Of another death by hanging
This time suicide.
Early this morning our city wa
thrown Into convulsions upon hear
ing the startling but true news that {
man was hanging back OF the Otto,
street Opera House-1ead. The spo
selected was secluded ono. In thu
recess Of the building, away from hu
man gaze, ohm w. Borstadt was found
with . rope around his neck and life
extinct.
| HOW IT WAS DONE.
Az near as we can learn, about 1--we
o'clock this morning Mr.. Borstad,
left his bed In the Farmers House
taking With him rope which he has
had for four or five days In the wash
stand drawer In his room and with
1t proceeded to the place where he
was found dead. When he reached
the stairway leading to the green
room Of the Opera House, he ascend.
ed it-took of HE fne silk hat and
placed 1t suugly up against the bull
dine--securely fastened tho rope
around the rating Of the stair way
then around HE neck in . like man.
ner and jumped oft-into eternity.
tie dropped . distance Of four to elk
feet aud in swinging back "lnto line
he struck the top Of his head causing
an abrasion Of the skull from which
. little blood flowed. When
found this morning be was
standing fiat footed ON the ground
with his limbs inclined ct an angle OF
about forty.fvs degrees. This 10 &C.
counted Tor BY the pc and body
stretching more or less after the act
wss com tilted. He WAS cut down by
Coroner H-fshey and the body placed
In the Opera House subject to the Or
der Of his family.
HIS history.
On the 9Th Of November, Mr.. J..
W. Borstadt, . we'll known travelling
man, who has been visiting this city
for the past three years, arrived IL
the city and registered ct the BsrnuD
House. He represented Brown i
Bros, confectionery N ,uufacturers,
Of Quincy, ILL.,, having lately beer
discharged - salesman for Kingsbs-
ker 3 Co., cigar manufacturer, OF
Ottumwa, Iowa, where his family re-
sides. After registering Mr.. Dor.
stadt left the Barnum House, and
was not seen by Mr.. Wilcox until a
few days ago. II seems he went to
the Farmers House TO board. III.
was Intoxicated when he reached this
city and had bean for sometime pre-
vious. His appetite for whisksy was
Unsuitable. and he pawned his watch
and chain for money with which to
get whiskey, and offered to trade his
nat and sleeve buttons for drink OF
that curse. He was crazy with drink.
LAST night about IL O'Clock he was
trying to get drink, but was refused
by Mr.. Wymond's bartender, who
thought he had enough. This morn
ing . fellow boarder heard him
ieave his room about half past four
O'Clock.
HIs FAMILY.
Mr.. Borstadt was quite vol known
in this city, Brownville snd other riv-
or towns where he has travelled. HE
daughter, who keeps Kingsbaker 4
Co.'s books wrote here to Mr.. vii.
coz regarding her father and ~ to
his whereahouta- The letter was
very nicely written. Mr.. Boretadt
was about 40 years old and . man Of
family. His remains are here sub
ject to their orders.
conoSER's rSQCRs1.
County OF OroE, :"
At an inquisition holden at Sebrss-
IA City In Otoe county, on the 18th
day Of December. 1878, before me, d.
W. Hershey, Coroner Of said connt,,
upon the body Of John VI. Dorstadt,
lying dead, by ths juror, whose
names are hereunto subscribed, the
said jurors, upon their csths do say
that the said John w. Borstadt came
10 bis death Monday morning, Dee
l6, 1878, between the hours Of IL
O'Clock, midnight, and .. m, by
hanging himself with . rope while
uader the induenee OF temporary Alb
nen tim - u,I,,A