Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-07-31
NOTHING TOLIVE FOR
Anthony Scherer Suicides in Alle-
gheny Because He Had Been
DEFRAUDED OUT OF MILLIONS
He Could Not Stand the Descent From
Wealth to Poverty.
A VICTIM OF DISHONEST ASSOCIATES

Anthony Scherer. German, found that
this world had no charms for him and,
with the aid Of small rope, succeeded in
shuffiing off this mortal coil yesterday. The
circumstances surrounding this case are out
OF the ordinary run of suicides.
Anthony Scherer was employed as tan
ner at Callery's, Spring Garden avenue,
Allegheny, and was considered by his fellow
workmen to be unsound of mind at times
and repeatedly spoke of doing away with
himself Tuesday nignt he, in company
with several friends, were visiting at house
on Troy Hill and while there remarked in
an Indifferent manner that he would kill
himself the next night, and requested one
OF the men, named Hess, to send cable
gram to his relatives in Preausen, Germany,
to send money to defray the expenses of his
funeral. His companions did not think
much Of the threat. as they had heard him
talk in similar strain quite frequently
before.
HE KEPT HIS WORD.
Scherer did not report for work yesterday
morning, and man was sent to find out
what had detained him. He visited the
house of Jacob Hess, where Scherer boarded,
and learned that he had not come down
from his room. As the hours flew by and
Scherer did not put in an appearance it
began to dawn upon Hess that something
was wrong, and he repaired to
Scherer's room. The door was
found locked, and vigorous knocking
failed to elicit any response from the. inside.
Hess concluded to burst open the door,
which he did, and he was horror stricken to
find Scherer hanging lifeless from rope
encircling his neck, which was attached to
nail in the wall.
The body was cut down, and Hess notified
Officer Tenne, who visited the room and
found that Scherer had strangled himself to
death, and from appearances it looked as if
he had not succeeded in killing
himself without great effort. Jacob
Hess, at whose house Scherer
boarded, said last night that he thought
Scherer was actuated to commit the deed on
account Of financial adversities, which he
had met with of late. He said:
ROBBED BY HIS PARTNER.
"Scherer has made me conversant with his
affairs ever since he came to this country.
which is nearly five years ago. His home
is in P-eausen. He was very prominent
merchant In the old country, and had con-
Quoted large wine exporting business until
four or five years previous to his coming to
this country. He intrusted his vast interest
to partner, and placed implicit confidence
in him, but the party betrayed the trust i'm
posed in him, and managed the affairs of
the establishment in such a way that it soon
went from Scherer's control and into the
hands of his partner He came to this coun-
try almost penniless and settled among the
people of his native home, who live in this
neighborhood.
"Scherer's sister was quite wealthy and
profered him assistance, which he would
would not accept, and stated that he would
emigrate to this country and try to retrieve
his lost wealth. His sister made him
beneficiary under her will, which would en-
title him to an estate worth about 81, ,O0O, 900.
His relatives succeeded in defrauding him |
out of this at the death of his sister, which |
left him almost destitute. and the only re-
source he had was to work for his living.
.. LUCK AGAINST HIM.
"Luck seemed to be against him." con-
tinued Mr.. Hess, "and as q last resort he
went to work at the tannery here in ALLIE
gheny. He did not like the work and was !
of all his money so preyed on his mind that |
in sheer desperation at being driven to the
last stages of poverty, he took his life. He
was man about "A ears old, and when not
in respondent mood was very convivial.
He substantIated the story of his past life
BY showing me letters and money which he
received every month before his sister died.
He was unmarried, as he remarked,
i6kingly, several times that he had
enough trouble without being married.
met a man several months ago who
verified the story about his past life in every
particular. He stated that he came from
he same place as Scherer and knew him
when he had plenty"
The remains will be buried BY his fellow
vorkmen tomorrow at st. Philomenae's
Cemetery on Troy Hill, under the rites of
Uag q memher /