The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1891-04-30

THE DROWNED MAN.
lis with pleasure that the News DEMO.
GRAFT presents above likeness of the man
found in the Tuscarawas river at Mill
port. The identity, while perhaps par
TALLY established, is not fully settled, and
for this reason the picture is given, in
hopes that ii may lead to his identity.
Inc NEwS.DEMOCRAT was the first
paper to give reliable news concerning
the hnding OF the body and last night fol-
lowed 1t up with later developments. This
paper was the only one published in Can
ton that sent a reporter TO the scene.
Yesterday Coroner John II. Openhimer
went to Millport, Massillon, Canal Fulton,
warwick and Clinton, in hopes of discov-
ering the identity of the man. He was not
successful. At Clinton several people
thought they had seen a man answering
to the description on the street, but no
one could give any definite information.
During last summer and winter there
has been boarding with Joseph Studer at
the corner of SaXton and East Tenth
streets, man named John Kohler. He
was stone mason by trade and had
worked on the new Hotel Yohe building
and the new bank building in East Tus-
carawas street. He was good workman
and was consider by all who knew him
to be strictly honest. He would work a
couple of weeks, get some money ahead,
and then go out on spree for three or
four days.
During the winter he was out of work
and had no money to pay his board. AS
he had always paid up faithfully from the
time he commenced boarding with Studer
March 10 1890, until December, the pro-
nrietor OF the house was inclined to be
lenient with him. He therefore during
the winter, contracted a board bill amount
in all to S65.36. He had always promised
TO pay this bill, and said that the first
money he made he would pay the amount
due Studer.
On March %, Kohler suddenly disap.
peared, since which time nothing has been
heard from him. Knowing of the
disappearance, a News DEMOCRAT
reporter called at Studer's place
last evening and made inquiries
concerning the man. Mr.. Studer stated
that he had intended leaving today for
Millport, as he was Of the opinion from
the description of the man found in the
river as given in an issue OF this paper,
that the body was that of Kohler. Studer
described the man as having hair slightly
dark, and having a mustache also slightly
dark.
The reporter showed him the photo
graph found on the man, and he identi-
fed the picture as that of KOhler. He
thought Kohler was slightly heavier, but
was not positive. The picture is an ordi-
carried by the dead man in his pocket for
considerable length of time, and was
bent and somewhat faded.
While Studer was looking at the picture
his wife, Mrs. Caroline Studer, came into
the room. The reporter, without com
ment, handed her the picture. She
looked at il moment, and then said:
"That's Johnnie. l! looks Just like he
did when he was on a tear. When he was
sober and ell right he always kept his hair
nicely combed, but when he was drinking
he didn't care how he looked. Yes, that's
Inhnnia II nhlar and ha pN1igf hauaA haan
drinking when he had the picture taken.
Mr.. and Mrs. Studer looked long and
carefully at the picture and both were
positive that the picture was that of
Kohler, though it was evident that II had
been taken sometime ago.
Kohler had stated that he had job at
Meyers Lake, and was going to work on
the following Monday. He left Studer's
place on Saturday and no word has since
been heard of him.
There is a tinge OF romance in the story
of Kohler's disappearance. Nary Claus,
a domestic at Balser's Music Hall, in North
Market street, became acquainted with
Kohler at Massillon three years ago, She
was then living with her cousin, Mrs.
Charles Haine, and he was working at his
trade. Friendship soon budded into love,
and the two have been engaged for some
time. A reporter called on Mary this
morning at the music hall. She is u
comely German girl, perhaps q years OF
age. When interrogaled concerning Koh-
Ter she said:
~ have known Johnnie for about three
years, and met him at Massillon. We
were engaged to be married, and intended
to have the ceremony performed in May.
Johnnie came to see me Friday evening,
March 81, and we had quite long talk.
He said ho had a job at Meyers Lake, and
was going out there to work. He told me
he owed Studer large board bill, and
that htA would him Ouf nf his HrGt
months wages. was to go to Massillon
and do what sewing wanted to do before
getting married. After he had paid the
board bill we were to be married, although
We hadn't set the day. We would have
been married some time about the middle
OF May. John was in good humor, and
We had no trouble with each other.
There was no quarrel between us, and he
could not have left on my account. When
ever he went away before he would al
ways tell me where he was going, but this
time he did not say that he was going any
place at all. He said he was going TO
work at the Lake on Monday, but said
nothing at all about going away on Sat
urday. l always heard from him when
he was away, but since he has been gone
the last time / have heard nothing from
him. III he were alive am sure he would
write to me. haven't the slightest idea
why he left. 1t could not have been on
my account, so II must have been on ac-
count of the board bill. AS we had ar
ranged, went to Massilon on Monday
and commenced my sewing. / did not
hear from him and came back here on
Tuesday. / then found that he had dis
appeared. / made inquiries about him
lostn
Mary took the loss of her lover philo-
sophically. She hardly thinks he Is the
man who was found in the river, as she
says Kohler's hair was light.
When kohler left Canton he had no
money, but carried silver watch and a