The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1888-07-07
AT ms WIFE'S GRAVE.
Suicide of n Citizen of AllcEh.ny-A Sad
Story.

Suicide OF n Citizen OF AllcEhtny-A Sad
Story.
PITTSBURGH, Pa, July 6.-This morn
ing about S O'Clock word was telephoned
to the Allegheny Mayors office that a
man had been found dead in St. Mary's
Cemetery, on Nunnery Hill. Detective
Eichenlaub at once repaired to the GEM
etery and found man namedJ Joseph L.
Rapp. wholived ut ll5 Ohio street, with
n bullet wound through his right
temple. He at once called up Herman
& Ebbert and had the remains removed
to their undertaking establishment, and
notified the Coroner, who will hold an
inquest this evening The suicide was q
genuine surprise to all who knew Rapp,
as the deceased's reputation was that OF
n peaceful, quiet aud industrious man,
Detective EiChenlaub stated that his
body was found by Mr.. and Mrs. Deit-
rich along side OF the grave OF his wife,
where the fatal deed was done, that he
questioned the grave-digger, but he had
not seen him or heard anything OF the
shooting.
Last night at the fire in Allegheny,
Rapp was seen by nm acquaintance and
spoken to, so the fatal shot must have
been fired between and S o'clock this
morning. His mother was notified and
visited the undertaker's, and the mo-
ment the face OF the remains We're un-
covered she burst forth: "0h, Joe, oh,
Joe, you were such a good man and
never had word with anyone, and
now to think you would have done this.
My heart is broken. Oh, why did you
kill yourself, my poor boy" The tears
rolled down the old lady's cheeks, and
she became so faint and weak that she
had to be helped to seat. She then
told the following story: "AbOut four
weeks before Christmas his little child,
the only one he had, died, and the day
before Christmas his wife died. Since
that time he has never been the same
man, moving around rs though he did
not care what became OF him. Last
night he came in about s o'clock and
asked him il he did not want some sup.
per, but he said no and got up and
walked out and l had not seen him
since until just now when looked at
his body. He was good boy to
me. He never spoke cross word aud
was the same with every one. No, |
never heard him express any idea OF
committing suicide and am Mortified to
see this. Had he ever any trouble with
his wife? No, indeed. He loved her
too well or he would not be lying in
there now. He was born in 1858, and is
just 30 years Of age. His father is dead
and is buried in the old cemetery. lie
has two brothers and two sisters.h Here
the old mother broke down completely,
and had to be taken from the room. The
scene when the iatherand mother OF his
late wife came in was also affecting. The
mother OF the wife turned the covering
down and strokcd the face and hands OF
the deceased, MS the tears rolled down
her cheeks and she referred tG ais many
good traits OF character. Mr.. Ebbcrt
stated that when he went up to the
cemetery, Rapp's body WAS lying along
side OF the grave, but the earth on the
grave showed his foot marks where he
had stood upon the grave and then Sell
upon ii and rolled of To the side,
His friends who called to see tic re.
mains stated that for the last three
months he appeared to be absent.
minded, and when spoken to would not
reply for a iew moments, and acted MS
though he did not desire to be spoken
TO, clearly proving now to their minds
that the death Of his wife and cl,ild had
made him detected.