St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1885-07-29
N s RELFRY.
Sexton Hangs Himself With the
Church He'll KnDe.

Church He'll Rope.
The pillars of the German Evangelical
United Protestant church, situate on the
corner of Minnesota and Eleventh streets,
were Mortified yesterday morning when
Adam Decker, one of the numbeg, made a
difficult ascent of the seldom-uSed stairway
leading up to the belfry, and there dis
covered the body Of the sexton of the
church, Edward \. Walters, hanging from
one of the crOss-beamS. The result of Mr..
DeckeTs trip was not unexpected. as
Walters had left his home on Robert street.
little above Twelfth street, on Monday
morning. with the expressed intention of
committing suicide. His wife thought,
however, it was an idle threat, but as he
failed 10 return home Monday night, she
became uneasy and had the search made.
which resulted in the above dis
covery. The man had evidently
gone direct from the house to
the church. and then. cutting off part of
the bell rope, succeeded in forming it into
an instrument OF death. The discovery Gre
ated a good deal of quiet commotiOn. both
on account of the mans connection with the
church and the spot he had selected
FOR HIS sELF-DEsTRUCTIoN.
Coroner Quinn was at once notified. and
after viewing the remains placed them
i'm charge of GuthunZ ~ ROckstrow, who at
once conveyed them to their undertaking
rooms, corner of Eighth and Wacouta
streets.
The deceased was married man. so wears
old, and leaves a young wife and three chill
dren, the eldest of whom is years and the
youngest years old. lie was a German
by birth, and only came TO this country
about four years ago, for the last
two of which he has been sexton
of the church in which he hanged himself.
He is said to have been genial. good
hearted man. but was respondent at times
over the limited amount of his earnings.
all of which were given over 10 the COM
forts of his family. The cause of his death,
however, as near as can be aScertained, is
due to jealousy. Shortly after he came to
St. Paul fascinating young painter named
Charles Matthes. who is at present EN-
ployed by KTahmer Bros, Sibley street,
sought and obtained board in the Walters
family. He remained for some time, until
Walters became aware of a growing init
macy between Matthes and his wife. He
then requested MattheS TO leave. and
finally, to get rid of him, he moved TO a house
on Eleventh street, between Minnesota and
Robert. Matthes
PERSISTED IN HIS ATTENTIONS
to Mrs. Walters and visited her when time
would permit, whether the old gentleman
happened to be ut home or not. The at
tention of the young painter was the cause
of more or less domestic infelicity. and
finally Walters told his wife that if she did
not refuse TO see him he would kill himself
This threat had no effect. Monday morn
! ing Walters procured a revolver and a razor
which were about the house and said he
would kill himself for certain. Mrs. Wal
tiers talked with him and finally got both
instruments away from him. He, however,
left the house, saying he would hang him
self. and he carried out the threat. Before
he committed the act he wrote lengthy
letter to Alatthes in which, il is said. he
particularly requested him to take good care
of the children. Mrs. Walters touchingly
remarked TO the reporter that she felt very
sorry he had hung himself.