Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1880-08-20
MYSTERIOUS SUICIDE.
An UNKNOWN GERMAN, WEARY OF
So HE,


A decided sensation was created, last
night about 10 O'Clock, in the vicinity
of the creek, by the nnaccountable sui
eide of q German. At the hour named,
several persons on the Market street
bridge saw q man suddenly climb the
rail on the west side and leap out into
the air, but making no cry or giving no
sign. A loud splash in the water told
when he struck, and rushing to that SHE
the spectators saw him arise IN
the muddy element, very close to the
north bank. They Immediately gave
the alarm, their voices sounding far up
Market street and attracting an immense
crowd to the scene.
The unknown, upon reappearln2
above the surface OF the water, found II
was scarcely waist deep and Immediate
" began wsding toward the Main street
bridge, at first keeping within fifteen
feet OF the north shore. The crowd scat.
tered along the bank and watched him
ploughing his way along. Offers OF as,
sis,ance were made him and several
poles were thrust out within graspine
distance of him, but he avoided them
and moved out OF reach toward the
southern shore.
Presently he struck the bar at the
city -four mills and Was in water on'y
knee deep. Apparently he noticed this
and he Immediately struck out Tor
deeper water, disappearing through the
middle arch OF the Main street bridge.
The crowd pushed to the other side and
some upon the bridge, from whence the
unknown could be seen making his
ysy toward the mouth OF the creek.
When directly under the wooden bridge
he disappeared, making apparently not
struggle to save himself. 1t less TIN G
than it requires to write II,
the crowd had decended to the
waters edge, and was peering
about to discover any traces, while sew
eral secured poles and probed every I'M
a,inable lurking place about the piles
and .abutments OF the bridge. Many
rideculed the idea of such 4 suicide and
prophsied a long work and no results,
Certainly it did seem the most dciber'
ate attempt at sell sacrifice ever seen.
But the force worked steadily away,
aided by a skif. Presently Jeii
Davis stripped and entered the water,
swimming about and diving here and
there when necessary. lie was soon re.
enforced by three others, all good
swimmers, who explored the bottom in
every spot.
After nearly hall an hour had passed,
one OF the swimmers called out, "llere
he is" and disappeared under the water,
reappearing with his arms clutching
something Aid was quickly furnished,
and the suicide, for SO it proved to he,
was lifted out aud laid OH shore. Every
,neans was resorted 10 to bring back the
departed life, but all were unavaIllng.
The large amount OF water taken IN to
the system. and the long time under
water had together shut out the lie,
and the recovered body was but mani
mate clay.
No one present could identity line
man, and speculation was rife as 10 VINO
he was, and what was the cause which
led 10 the self murder. But presctly Mr..
Dickel, OF the firm OF Cox, Dickel
Il Vance, recognized him as a
German in his employ, though he could
not tell his name. john, he said, was
his baptismal appsllation. The man
was of medium height, "ith a iull bronze
beard. He wore a suit OF jeans lapPar-
cntly) and checked shirt. The body
was placed IN charge OF undertaken Ben
nett, and an inquest will be held by
Justice Bulger, this morning.
Just after the drowned man was re-
covered, JeG. Davis became authority
for the statement that he had not jump
ed from the Market street bridge, bnt
had walked in from about Holiday
planning mill. This story was partly
confirmed aftcrward, AS we learn the
following:
The mans name is John Heddrick,
and he came here from Washington, ID.
&. AS stated above he worked at Cox,
Dickel Il Vance, and boarded with Julius
I.ohse, OH Market street, Centre Wheel.
ing. He has shown no signs OF insanity
and is not much OF drinking man. His
suicide was quite a surprise TO Mr..
Lohse, who saw nothing in his manner,
last evening, that would predicate any
such intention,