Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1886-05-06
TIRED or LIFE.
Charles vanderHorCk Commits Suicide.
PARTICULARS I'M FULL.

SSilS were StdTIleu DY tie lHtOFLla-
ton that Charles VanderHorek, son
of Capt. John VanderHorck, Post
Trader at Fort Sisseton, had CON-
mitted suicide, early in the morning
of that day. For a time the widest
rumorS passed from mouth to mouth
and u sad CONSERVATION filled the
minds Of our citizens who all knew
and respected the unfortunate sui
eide. Being a member of Coteau
Lodge, A. F. & A. ~, No. 81, of
this place, Worshipful Master Smith
at once dispatched a delegation of
| four brethren, consisting of John
| Norton, j. Alley, J. L. Blake and
J. c. Adams, to the scene OF the
tragedy to perform the sad offices
to the dead and aid and comfort
! the living. We arrived at the Post
about five o'clock. The inquest
| had been held by the coroner of
Marshall county and the deceased
was lying i'll his room, as yet unat-
tended to, in consequence of the IN
QUESTION having only just been CON-
pleted.
The facts, as we CLEANED them,
show that for some time Charles
had been in respondent frame of
mind, so much so as to attract the
attention and excite the fears of his
family and friends. On the morn
ing Of the tragedy he did not get up
at his usual time, and having been
out hunting the day before, his wife
thinking he had not yet fully re-
covered from the fatigue of his trip,
did not call him until breakfast was
ready. On first being called, he got
out of bed as though he were going
to get up, but on his wife going
down stairs he returned to bed.
Twice afterwarG she called him with
the same result. She then went
over to the store and told the clerk
to lock up and come to breakfast as
Charley was too tired to get up.
Returning to the house, just as she
opened the door she heard pistol
shot fired, but thinking nothing of
it passed into the dining room when
she heard deep, agonized groan.
Divining at once the terrible truth
she rushed to the door and scream
ed for help and running up stairs
found her husband in the throes of
death, the fatal pistol in his left
hand with which the tragic deed
was done. The heart-rending scene
that followed battles all powers of
description. Wildly she threw her.
self on the prostrate form of her
husband and implored him to speak
to her, and with every endearing
word and caress sought to bring the
light of recognition to the stony
eyes-alas, it was to late-the spirit
had passed out into that unknown
sea that surrounds all the world,
Hastily the people gathered to tho
dedth-ehamber, and the first that
came snatched his eldest son, a boy
of six, from a bed on the opposite
side of the room where he sat star
ing with wide-eyed fright at his
father. Lieut.. Green at once took |
charge of the bereayed widow and
her children and removed them
to his own residence, where he and
his good wife did all in their power
to soothe the anguished spirit of the |
sufferer.
Deceased had bolstcred himself
up Ia bod with pillows, and careful !
" feeling with his right hand placed |
the muzzle of the pistol between the
fifth and sixth ribs, and iired-the
shot destroyed life in very few
moments. Indeed the cool and de-
| hberate manner with which he went |
to work to commit the rash deed, |
would seem to indicate that he had |
fully made up his mind and thor
oughly considered all the details.
In the evening, through the cour-
tesy of the commanding officer, Maj. |
Mores and aficar Of the day Lieut..
Green, every assistance was render
ed in preparing the body, and on
Saturday morning 1t was brought
to Webster, where 1t was met by
the brethren of Coteau Lodge who
formally took charge of it. Mr.. A.
Grethen, uncle of the deceased, ar
rived Saturday morning and at once
proceeded to the Fort, returning in
the evening to this place in eompa-
ny with Mrs. panderHorck. On
Saturday evening with A. Smith,
W. NJ. G. L. Sharretts, S. W; and
J. c. Adams, as J. W; funeral es-
cort, and accompanied by the uncle
of the deceased, the body was put
aboard the tram and taken to Min,
neapolis for intermont.
On the arrival of the train at
Minneapolis the escort was met by
DR.. S. S. Kilvington, w. NJ, of
Minneapolis Lodge, A F. & A, NJ
No. 10, with Rardens and brethren,
who at tie request of Worshipful
Master Smith, of Coteau Lodge,
formally took charge of the body,
which WAS taken to the nndontakers
and from thence to the Masonic
Hall, from which place it was fol-
lowed to the grave in Lakewood
Cemetery, at 3 o'clock, p. M, by
Minneapolis Lodge and visiting
brethren in grand procession.
Arrived at the grave, the very
beautiful Masonic ceremony for the
dead was rendered by Master Kill
vington, Of Minneapolis. The fact
that deoeased's father and brothers
we're in Europe, his wife at the bed
side of her sick sons in far off Da-
kota, aud no nearer relative beside |
the tomb than an uncle and cousins
made it appear SO lonely to those
who did not understand that a cor
don OF warm-hearted sympathetic
brothers stood, with uncovered
heads around the bier, and this
made the ceremony all the more
touching and beautiful. A double
iquartette of the Harmonic Society,
Of Minneapolis, in the rendition OF
sweet choral numbers gave added
Is6lemnity to tho hour.
/ Returned to the hall of Minnear-
oils Lodge, Worshipful Master
Smith, in fitting terms, in behalf of
| Coteau Lodge, rendered to the
brethren of Minneapolis Lodge and
visiting brethren his earnest and
| hearty thanks FOR their ready aud
lhelpfal masonic sympathy and as
sistanee in the burial of Brother
| YanderHorck, after which the cere-
monies concluded in that spirit of