The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1885-06-18
Death of mr.. j. m. Crafts,

The following particulars of the death of DIR
John Nj. Crafts we copy fro m the Mantua Sta
tian correspondence of the Garrettsville Jour-
mai OF last EesK.
The traEieal death Of DIR. i N, Crafts, for
merly resident Of Man tua, and we'll known
to all in this section at Kansas City. Mo. by
suicide. Friday morning. June sth. startled our
citizens on receipt OF the news ON the afternoon
of the day of his death. We give statement
sf the facts. with letter left, as taken from
the Kansas City Daily News The letter was
directed to C. 8. Owsley. Esq, a lawyer occu-
pying sn office adjoining that OF Dr. Crafts:
when Mr.. OwsleY came down TO his office
at in the morning. he was much surprised to
find the door to DIR. Gratis rodm hrnly loci Eed.
and looking through the key-hole he discover
ea q, gasnGe sna. lne na vefed form ct Dr.
OF death. for the hand on which his head rested
was pale, and the nat. room and covered head
told the sad story of the suicides act. As Qui-
etly as he could do So Mr. Owsley opened the
door. when his we'll grounded suspicious were
confi med by the discovery that the covered
form by which was found a one pound bottle OF
chloroform. was corpse. Upon going into his
office. which adjoined that in which his body
bore tl,e a3drsse. &C. s. 0Wsley. City; for pub
Iication - Opsning the mystic seal, FheI 3
we're penped the last W0i ds '6f the dying man,
written in bold. business hand. with q lead
pencil en- ordinary newspaper, the following
letter was found:
S,5 or 9. '85.
'F0r general pu biicatioR and for friends =
My motEeF and lpy wife SHOULD be nv friends
but are instead nay worst enem les. most str ge
and unnatural 1t may be-. ] think some OF my
first named (mOther and wiie). this Is my last
request and hope they will cease slandering
those innocent girls AMI Mary French on my
account, for their only crime was that of b ing
poor and Obliged to work. Through going from
home. which in one instance she Carrie had
done Ss such girls nase tns t enFHs the nos.
strangers. Everybody keep your girls st home
though they should starve 1t Is duty to those
VINO have girls in their families, to give them
advantages of the best home influence. Mg
special last request to my wife since she ins lists
in filing cross bill in my divorce case Is
~. not q contest @ m nv " vi il. now in Ut. ". 5.
aough's possession. snbIqitted it to you when
it was mostly tor ouI only sons benefit, that
you would meyer contest 1t, By ke. ping this
promise. you may be able to prove to the world
myself do. Ny last request to my old friend,
Dr W 8. Hough executor of my last will and
testament, is dI.t; spend all in your hands if
prefer to have all possess expended in l;tiga-
zion If this viii is coEtes' e4. Second, wish
sou to educate ANA bring my Burk - up as
have talked to you For the friendship you
have always borne. feel you will learn my
dear boy to love his father and cure IN him the
Qualities I may possess Teach him. when old
enough, tn It died for him that feared new
ar couil get possession of him and when dying
my pest wishes were for him, &c, Sc. &C My
last Fequesf to my friend, Charles 3. oYsiey,
one who knows me best in KANSAS City. Is irst
forgiveness Tor my last act can only say, /
cannot help 1t. Second, want the Masous to
take charge OF my Tem aims. Telegraph to DR.
". s. Hough. my executor, who Is Master of
my Lodge, that local MasoEs will take such acc
ton as they see ft. My burial wish Masonic
Star and Mantua Lodges should conduct plac-
ing me beside nv father IN Auburn. One mere
request to my executor: Tou will ind way
to my wealth two peculiar keys numbered,
one ON my key ring. one on a napkin ring IN
my trunk. Mason IN the city will give you
Ihis will be ample means for T6u to buy Two
600 Dollar four per CEN. Bonds registered, to
make the original amount Ten Thousand Dol
lars specified in my will One more request to
yfriend OTslsy: I want you to present a
liberal ito yonrSeiG Eili tG NJ executor for sll
you have done or may do for me Also, wish
Leigh Irvine of the News with my diving re-
qnesl Tor MIN to publish ali have written and
anything he as nay friend may wish to say
would like to say much more TO m7 friends and
to the world, but it is now time for my depart
ure on the chloroform and morphine route. /
hope 1t will not be harder trsYaiing than on
this terrestrial spheFe since my Iather died,
Print plenty OF papers so my friends can have
one, and charge 10 my account. Friend Hcush
will pay friend Owsley. Goodbye, world /
VIII say nay say IN the future.
JIM CRAFTS.
Owsley, preserve this manuscript for legal
refele ence pertaining to my last request.
P.s, You know all. and as my friend and
ssnk bsls all you know Eo01 Of me
In 1871 DR. Crafts wss married to Miss Rose
3. Dodge, of Auburn On the slst of Nov.
1888, they separated. Shortly after the sepsrs-
ton he left CuyahoSa Falls and located in Kan
sas City, where he built up good practice in
the short time he was there. A few weeks since
Mrs Crafts received notice that her husband
hai commenced proceedings for a divorce sbe