The Northern Pacific farmer. [volume] (Wadena, Minn.) 1878-1885, 1880-07-22
AN INVENTION THAT KILLED HIM

AN INVENTION THAT KILLED HIM.
David p. Newell Of Chicago browns
Himself While Testing Leaden
Life -Preserver.
Chicago News.
David P. Newell, real estate agent
and dealer on the West Side, DESTROYED
himself on Thursday night of last week
while laboring under remarkable de-
fusion of insanity. On Wednesday at
noon he undertook to do a small Grand
while at home for dinner, but, instead of
going to the point intended, wandered
to the corner of May and Hubbard
streets, where, as he expressed it, he
came to himself and asked himself:
"How on earth did come here?" This
was the explanation that he had gave
on returning home, where, shortly after
ward, while playing with one of his chill
dren, he fell into another fit of uncon-
seriousness, on recovering from which,
by the application of cold water, he
complained that his head had dull
feeling and troubled him. On Thurs
day night, without giving warning to
any one, he embarked on the steamer
Muskegon of the Goodrich Line, send
ing his wife the following letter, which,
by his direction, was not delivered to
her till o'clock in the evening, two
hours after the steamer had left the
dock:
MY DEAR WIFE: have finally struck
something which will bring in money,
and, I hope, happiness to all of us. 1
have invented .; life preserver on an en-
tirely new principle, and am so san
guine as to its results that I am going
to try it tonight. I find that it is Il
fallacy that cork OF any wood which ab-
sorps water is lighter than lead. Lead
does not displace as much water bu+
when submerged find that it has three
times the lifting power of cork. 1 have
got some lead cut in strips three-quar-
tiers of an inch wide, and can make a
jacket of it for $2,50 that any one can
float in for days and days. Everybody
has always said because lead was in air
heavier than cork that it would be in
water, but have three times tried it,
and find lead in water will in proper
ton to its weight, float ten times it's
weight in cork. Cork costs fifty cents
per pound, lead six cents, and can
put life-preservers on all boats, ships
and steamboats, in the world at half
price. I am sure Of 100000 to-mor-
row. will go out to-nig ht on Good
rich steamer, and I will be back by 8
a. M, and show everybody that they
can make lead float as we'll or better
than cork.
The result will be that when come
in tomorrow can sell the right for
100000 and get rid of all the trouble I
am in. I will leave my clothes in the
boat, watch, money, etc., for fear I may
have the lake to cross, but the way the
wind looks now, I can get home by -
M, as shall not go more than forty
miles out, and, if the wind is right,
withmy armor lean get in in two hours.
l will get rid of my debts and fit YOU
and the children out nicely on what l
can get when get in town tomorrow.
Don't worry. Your affectionate.
HUBBY.
Inquiry by the agonized wife showed
that Mr.. Newell had taken the steamer,
after playing several games Of pool in
the billiard room of the fremont. His
demeanor on board was calm and
pleasant, and indicative of no excite
ment or perturbation of mind. A pack
age was found in his state room, con-
tanning all his clothes except shirts.
boots and socks. In the bundle were
two pieces of paper, one Of which con-
tanned a piece of CORK, while the other
bore blush marks, which indicated
contact with lead, indicating that it had
enveloped the leaden life-preserver re-
ferred to in the letter above given. The
forty pounds of lead attached to the
life-preserver-its weight as calculated
from indications in the letter-would be
sufficient to sink the body to the bottom
of the lake, where it now probably lies.
Business troubles connected with his
wife's estate is the supposed cause Of
Mr.. Newell's insanity
A warrant sworn out before Justice
Brayton, last week, by Edwin Partridge,
the State street dry-goods merchant,
charging D. P. Newell with the embez-
element of certain rents collected by
him for the complainant, was returned.
The sad announcement of the defen-
dant's death through the papers was the
first notice the constable had that his
search for Mr.. Newell would be fruit
less.
Exciting Encounter Between a Water
snake and Rat
Stocton (Cal.) Mail.
A workman on Lindsay point inform
ed a Mail reporter this morning of a
terrible conflict between a snake and n