The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1890-07-02
DIED BY HIS own. HAND.
Thomas Jensen Choked Himself to
Death in a Shed Yesterday
Afternoon.
Tn< Jury Says he was Laboring
Under Mental Alteration
at the Time.
He was Married and Leaves q Wife
and Children In Hol-
stein.

Thomas Jensen, native of Schleswig-
Holstein, choked himself to death yester-
day afternoon in small shed adjoining the
south side of Lehman's building, on lower
Main street. The last time he was seen
alive was yesterday morning about half
past ten, when he got drink from Tom
Jones, the bartender of Steinbrenner's sa-
loon in the Lehman building. He was
missed after dinner and about half past
two yesterday afternoon the bartender SO
Frank Lutter out to the shed to look for
Jensen, who would sometimes go to that
place for nap. When Lutter got to the
shed he found the deceased sitting on the
edge of box, his neck iii a moose made of
half-inch rope, and which was tied to a
small rafter of the shed. Lutter rushed
back to the barroom and told Jones what
he had seen. The bartender gave him a
small knife and told him, to cut
there was amy qH life in na the See Sody
Luther soon cut the hemp rope and felt the
mans pulse, but he was too late. Jensen
had taken his last nap. The shed was
hardly high enough for an ordinary man to
stand erect in; The position. Of the body
when Luther discovered it-sitting on the
edge of the box, with the head thrown back
and to one side--indicated that Jensen had
deliberately choked himself to death with
out putting his full weight on the rope.
He was man between fifty and sixty
years of age and had been employed at
chores around the saloon. Jensen is said
have been much given to drink, and accord
ing to the testimony of the bar tender it
did not take much to make him unsteady.
He was married, his wife and children liv-
ing in Holstein. He seems to have had but
few friends.
Coroner Rockman and the following jury, |
Joseph Davis, d. A. Mcdonald, Con Becker, |
L. oteinbrenner, Max Klein and G. w.
Huffaker, viewed the remains, and then ad-
journed to small room in the rear of
Steinbrenner's saloon to hear testimony.
While the jury was in session several
drunken individuals interrupted the pro-
ceedings, and were only got rid of by
threats of arrest made by the coroner.
Outside crowd of morbid curiosity seekers
peered through the door and window of the
shed at the body, just as it had been left
when cut down.
The first witness was Frank Lutter. He
testified that he had found the body sitting
on the edge of the box. partly leaning back
and to one side, with the rope. around the
soon as he had told Jones of his discovery |
he ran back to the shed and loosened the
rope Upon feeling for the pulse all he |
could determine was that the man was
dead. The shed was not locked, al |
though the door was closed. I4utter also
testified that the deceased had not appeared
downcast of late.
Tom Jones, the bartender, was the next
witness. He testified that the last time he
had seen Jensen was yesterday morning. |
when he was working, as usual He also |
stated that Jensen was man subject to
violent pains in the stomach. but had not |
complained about them yesterday morning
During the morning he had given Jensen
several drinks of beer; that it was about
1890 when he last saw him. Jensen was
missed at the dinner table, and the witness
sent man to look for him in the shed.
look at the body and then called Stein
brenner and several Others out Of the sa-
loon. When asked about the habits of
Jensen, the witness stated he was a
very weak man, and that a few drinks
would NAL Ike him unsteady IN his gait.
who suffered from ill health, and he was
not surprised that Jensen had killed him
self. He had not heard the deceased make
any. declarations that he would commit
suicide. When he saw the body part of its
weight was on the box and part on the
Earnest Shaft: who lives at the Northern |
Pacific depot, testified that he went into
Stelnbrenner's saloon and saw Jones give
Lutter knife. Jones told witness to go
out to the shed after Lutter. he Went and
saw Luttor working at the rope, and then
saw the deceased's head fall back as the
rope was loosened, Tho coroner handed
the witness Il letter written in German and
asked him to translate it for the jury. It
was from the old country and contained news
from the dead mans family, who appear to
be comfortably situated. The letter opened
with the atfectionate address, "Dear papa"
and closed with, From your daughter,
Catherine
The last witness was Ernest Kiesling who
said he did not know anything about the
case. All he saw was, "Mr. Jensen dead on
the box. He had been cut down before l
got there.'
The jury soon reached a verdict which
was that the deceased came to his death by
hanging himself with a rope around his
neck, in a shed adjoining the south side of
the building known as Lehman's block on
July LIST, 1890, between the hours of 10 a. m.
and 5 p. m., with suicidal intent, while la
boring under mental alteration.
Shortly after the verdict was rendered |
the body was placed in charge of an under |
taker.
Land Office Notes.
Geo Ronrnuin raceivar If tho Halano