The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1885-05-21
TWO SUICIDES.
Self Destruction Of John Casper San and
Christ HutIer by Hanging.
Both Unknowingly Adopt tho Same Meth
od aud Die within Short Distance OF
Zach Othsr---The Causes

JOnn bHOch thIin, nOW oWnbu Wy tnb
latter's heirs. about three and q half
miles southeast Of Canton, drove to the
city about eight O'Clock Monday evening
and reported that the dead body OF o
man was lying on his farm. He said
that hla daughter and a little girl, Bena
Wolf, were planting sweet corn In
one OF tho fields Monday afternoon,
when they saw what they thought was
a drunken negro lying beneath q tree,
near the line. Mr.. Shock and hia son
went TO the spot indicated and found
that the man was dead and not q negr0j
the putrefaction which had set In had
made the face black, resembling very
much that OF a negro In appearance. Mr.
Shock had several men guard the body
and then came TO the city TO notify
the authorities. Coroner Leininger being
absent from the county, Justice Yant wae
notified and that official accompanied by
Constable Rebh0ltz, and undeTtaktrs
Rockhill and Burwell started for the
place. A } mocrat reporter as soon AZ
the find was reported drove TO the SHOCK
farm, arriving there with Justice Yant
and hls party. Approaching the farm
the dim flIckering light OF o lantern was
seen In the distance which marked the
spOt where the dead man was lying. The
party drove thither and found Mr., Shock
and several other gentlemen, awaiting
the arrival OF the authorities. The man
was lying partially on his side, with his
face TO the ground and hls arms extend
cd. His hat and large TUT or halr
were lying close by, as were also several
strips OF MANILA paper. On one OF the
strips was written In hastily scrawled
German letters the following:
"TO Mary Saft:--Dear Wife--On Friday
morning In the full possession Of my
senses have put an end TO my life"
There was no signature To the note,
but a lot of unlntelligible chirography
was scribbed on the paper.
This letter solved the Identity OF the
man. In Mondays DEMOCRAT appeared
the following, relative TO the. disappear
ance Of Sait;
DESERTED HIS WIFE,
"Mrs. saft, living on Lafayette street.
sent TO Township Trustee Rohn this
morning for assistance, She IL sick In
bed with child about week OLD. She
says her husband, John Casper Saft, IL
laborer aud has been out OF work all
winter. Last Friday he left home aud
has not returned since. Aid was given
her
"The family removed here from Wheel,
Ing about two years ago. The couple
have been married for eighteen years
and have one child, beside the baby
just bOrn."
II Ia quite evident that Sait. who was
an industrious man and not u addicted
TO drinking, had become down-hearted
and deapOndent at HIS inability To iind
work aud thus support his family and
was led 10 kill himself tO end his mis-
cry and suffering, Day after day he
had tried 10 get work but failed, aud,
although no excuse can be found for
self.destruclion, II is quite probable
that, despite Stfts dying statement that
no was In full possession OF his senses,
that no was half crazod and driven to
desperation by poverty aud almost star
walton that stared him and his family
In the face.
The dead body was found lying be
meath q short, hardy tree, upon two Of
the lower limbs OF which was firmly
bound thin rope, Of the thickness
Of q clothes line or bed cord
About foot OF the rope dangled
from the limbs, the lower extremity Of
which showed signs Of having been torn,
the loose ahreds Indicating that the
rope had not been cut. Wound tightly
about Salts throat was the other portion
OF the rope, the cord encircling his neck
Ave or six times. The heighth OF the
limbs from the ground IL only about
eight feet, 80 that when suspended,
Saft's feet must have touched the grass,
The most plausible theory Ia that Saft
climbed up the tree, tied one end OF the
rope 10 the limbs and the other TO his
neck and jumped down. The putrefac-
tion In hs face aud the blood which eyl.
IDENTIFY flowed from hla mouth aud satnr'
ated the front OF his clothes, signify that
death resulted from atrangu at on. rhe
weight of hi4 body hanging Oh the frail
rope aud swinging In TIE breeze nDally
broke the rope aud the body fell face
forward to the ground In which position
II was found.
After Justice Yant Viewed the body he
instructed Constable II bh0ltz TO- make
On examination Of the pockets OF the
deceased, while the DEMOCRAT reporter
made u lisl OF the articles found on the
person OF tue deceased. No money nor
Valuabes were found. The contents I
the pockets consisted OF u pipe, handker.
chief, package OF tobacco, cake Of soap,
several lead pencil stubs, lot OF bras'
rings with glass settings IN "A little vel
vet case, pair of pulse warmers, two
Tazors, pen.kDife, small rubber ball,
email round mirror, tobacco pouch and
q letter dated Bridgeport, Conn.,, address.
cd TO Dear Brother" and signed "Your
Brother"
The body hung exposed where the
sun would shine upon IL from early In
the morning until late In the afternoon,
which accounts for ths early putrefac-
tion OF the body, which was badly do.
composed and emitted q horrible stencil.
The face and hands were 20 black that
II was necessary TO take of one OF the
dead mans boots 10 make certain that
he was a white and not col0red man.
The clothing Of tho deceased consisted
OF an old working suit, white shirt, no
collar nor necktie and an old soft felt hat
On account OF the dec0mposed condi-
tion OF the body II was not deemed nd
yisable TO take II 10 the city In an open
wagon. Messrs. Rockhill - Burwell
drove back 10 the city and returned with
coffin, In which the remains we're
placed and a lid tightly screwed on. The
body was then taken 10 their undertake
Ing rooms, where II row IL. u viii be
buried at the expenee Of the Townehp
IN the potter's field Of tho County In
Urinary.
JUSTICE Yant visited Mrs. Saft this NOR.
ming and found her sick In bed with her
child. She In heartbroken over tho rash
act Of her husband; says he was driven
toitby his failure TO obtain employment.
She said he was kind, attentive hus
band and when he had employment nj.
ways provided well for the family He