, 1884-07-29
A SAD LIFE ENDED.
An Iowa Man Named S~pitznagel
Commits Suicide Here.
FAMILY Troubles and Perhaps Want
Pull Him Down.
Inc Remains Laid Away to Rest in
P0tter's Field.

49,
a German named Gustave Spitznagel. a
man about 45 years of age, who stopped
over here for the day, and was, as he
afterwards stated, on his way to Des
MONIES, where he formally resided and
where his family still lives. Just where
he went or what he did Immediately after
his arrivalin the city cannot be stated, for
1t is impossible to learn anything of his
wanderings. A trunk belonging to him
came and was left at the express Office
and toward night Spitznagel made hisap-
pearance there and claimed his baggage.
but was informed that there were fifty
cents charges to be paid before he could
take it. After thinking the matter over
he asked permission to take a suit of
clothes out of the trunk and put them on,
and to put the suit he was wearing into
the trunk in their stead. This permission
was granted him and he changed
his clothes in the baggage room.
At that time he made some remark TO
the effect that he did not care to pay
fifty cents for a room in which to change
his clothes and he thought it was Just as
well to do the way he had done. When
he returned the old suit of clothes to the
trunk, he remarked: Il shall go away
tonight With the suit he had taken
from the trunk and put on was a pretty
good oyereoat of dark color.
The next that anybody saw of him was
at the Tivoli at about . O'Clock in the
evening when he met William Joseph, an
old friend, he had known in Denver. To
this gentleman he stated that he was on
his way to lie. Moines, after his family,
and that he had taken up a ranch about
thirty miles from Bellevue, Idaho. He
said too that he was about to purchase
two ear loads of cattle for his Euch. The
two took sople beer together and Spitz-
nagel paid ten cents for it, which was the
only money h : as seen to have.
Shortly after 9 o'clock Spitznagel
started down Ferguson street, stating
that he was going To q harding house,
and this was the last time he was seen
alive So far as is now known.
About t O'Clock on Sunday morning
Spitznagel was found lying dead on the
prairie just north of Camp .~CarlinsFack,
and about three hundred yards north of
the electric light house, by Harry Marks,
who was passing along there at that
time. About fifteen feet from where he
lay an empty morphine bottle was subse-
quently discovered by Henry Tuinster.
Marks met officer Sullivan, who took
temporary charge of the body,
Coroner Chafin was at once notified,
and caused the body to be removed to the
undertaker's quarters. In searching the
body, which was done by Coroner Chafsn
in the presence of nearly twenty persons,
nothing was found but a lead pencil and a
single nickel, A jury, consisting of F. C.
Thomassan (fal1man), j. 4. Schroeder, j.
G. Graft, G. NJ. Bradley, Charles
GoOdselI and f.. H. ingalls,, was
ed aud sworn, and, after viewing the body,
adjourned until Yesterday afternoon at tho
Court House,
At ? o'clock yesterday afternoon the
jury assembled, and the testimony was
taken.
DIR. J. j. Marston testified that when
he first saw the body the man had been
dead from eight to ten hours. In his
opinion the man died from narcotic poison,
probably morphia.
William Joseph said that he had known
Spitznagel in Denver for some years. He
last saw him in March when Spiiznagel
left there and went Wes,, lie was a man
WIN generally had money in the bank but
would drink very hard at times. He was
always very morbid and down hearted.
He had not lived with his wife for seven
OF eight years, and he had two sans In
lbes hojpe4 who We're married.
The jury found by their verdict that the
deceased came to his death bymeans of a
dose of morphine administered a. they
thought, by his OWN hands,
fhe body Of the unfortunate man was
buried Sunday afternoon,