Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1886-03-02
HANGING FROM THE FENCE.
4 German Bakers Strange Suicide
Startling Discovery Made in the Earl,
MOrmimy.

Henry Book, young German baker, en-
ployed at Edward Prepnbrings bakery corner
of 14th and streets southwest, appeared TO
be i'm unusually good spirits when he began his
ail-night task In the bakery last night. Towards
eleven o'clock he lay down aud took n nap ;
then he went TO work again. A little after one
O'Clock this morning his fellow workman LEFT
the bake shop for a few moments. When he
returned Book was gone. A window opening on
18th street was open, and the cold air was blow
ing in AS Book did not return the workman
woke Mr.. Piepenhring, who was asleep in an
upper room of the house. Ii was not pleasant
TO be called from q comfortable bed at , O'Clock
on a windy, blastery, cold night, and Mr. Pep
enbring naturally grumbied a little. IL was
not the first time that Whimsical iourneym men
had deserted their work in the middle of the
night and gone off, Mr.. Piepenbring made up
the unfinished batch OF tarts and cream-pu It's
LETT by Book, and then went 10 bed.
A STARTLING DISCOVERY.
A little after 6 O'Clock the driver prepared to
get out the wagon. The wagon was backed I'm a
little passage cut into the terrace on the 18th
street side of the house, so that the brick with
wnhSh ~ Is paved Is on level with the side
but when he stepped ITO the passage he stopped
ms whistling. There, crouching against the
fence, with eyes and tongue protruding, was
Book. The driver was Mortified to find that
mere was q small tarred rope or cord around
Books neck, which was attached to a fence
picket above, and that he was quite dead and
cold. The sides of the passage are bricked mp
TO the height of three or four feet and upon the
top of this brick wall is fence OF stout wooden
pickets. ladder was laid against the fence.
the one end Of which was
tied about portion of the ladder
and fence-picket. The place where
The rope was tied was hardly more than five
feet from the ground. Book had either sprung
from the wall or had crouched down. letting
his weight hang upon the rope until he was
strangled. He hung bent and cfouchng with
mis- leet on the ground, within full view of any
one passing along the street. The cord had
sunk deeply into the flesh of the neck. The
body was attired I'm cardigan jacket, red shirt.
old trousers. slippers and an Old feI: hat.
The clothing were whitened with the
hour in which the man had been working.
The driver aroused the family i'm the house,
and Mr.. Piepenbring FASTENED after n police
officer. Officer Williams came. cut the 10 e.
and had the body removed To the first pTecinc,
police station. The only thing found on his
person was a little memorandum book IN which
were written his name and some bakers recipes
In German.
NO CAUSE ASSIGNED.
He was a native of GERMANY twenty-siy
years old and unmarried. He came 10 this
country six years ago, and worked journey.
man baker in Baltimore until six weeks ago.
when he came to this city and went to work Tor
Mr.. Pjepenbring, with whom lie boarded. He
mas Il sister in Baltimore and one in this city.
He was not addicted 10 drink, aud Mr.. Piepen-
bring and his family are at a loss To account for
was not in love, SO Tar as she knew 1t is said
he was rather peculiar and disliked women
very much. 1t Is thought that he had an at
tack OF melancholia when he went out of the
window and adopted such an inconvenient
mode OF hanging himself.
Coroner Patterson decided an inquest unne-
cessary and gave certificate of death by
suicide.