The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1891-02-05
TIRED OF LIFE.
An Aged Massillon Citizhn Commits
Suicide by Hanging.
His Last Act on Earth Was to Attempt to
Borrow Fifteen Cents with which to
Purchase Beer.

Fred Morgenstern, aged 63 years. com
mitted suicide at his home in Massilon
last night by hanging. He hanged him
self within ten feet of the house without
attracting the attention of any of the oc.
cupants.
The only cause given for the act is that
he was despondent and tired of life. He
left home about 4 o'clock Sunday after
noon, saying he vas going to visit his sis
ter, Lizzie Knobloch. Two hours later he
called on his daughter Katie, at the Union
Hotel, and asked to borrow II fteen cents.
he said he desired the money so that he
could secure quantity of beer. Katie
refused to comply with the request, and
this was the last seen of him alive by any
member of the family.
Shortly after o'clock Katie left the
Union Hotel in company with her sister
Lena On arriving at the house she dis.
covered her father suspended from the
limb of a peach tree. She at once notified
her brother, Daniel, and Jacob Miller,
who we're in the kitchen at the time.
They went into the yard and saw the
story was only too true. The lifeless body
of Frederick Morgenstern was hanging
from the limb of the tree. The remains
were quickly cut down, when il was seen
life was extinct. The body was still
warm and word was sent to police head.
quarters. Officers Kitchen and Maier re-
sponded, and with the aid of Thomas
Nolksmore and Joseph Huth, carried the
body into the house.
Officer Frank Ertle notified Coroner
John II. Openheimer, who, accompanied
by a NEwS-DEMoCRAT reporter, FASTENED
to the scene, When they arrived the body
was IN the frontrIom. After viewing the
remains the coroner decided to hold an
inquest at once. Witnesses were sum.
moned and their testimony taken.
When the body was first seen the knees
were bent, so as to prevent the feet from
touching the ground. The limb of the
tree was moi, over seven feet high. An
ordinary clothes line was used. 1t is
supposed Morgenstern fastened the line
around his neck, and then got up in the
tree, secured the rope around the limb
and slid off. He did the work with very
little noise as the people in the house
heard nothing unusual.
The deceased leaves widow, three
daughters Katie and Lena Morgenstern,
and Mrs. Jacob Young, and Two sons
Daniel and Jacob. The testimony taken
by the coroner shows conclusively that
Morgenstern for sometime past has been
thinking of committing suicide.
Daniel Morgenstern was the first wit.
ness and told of cutting down the body.
He said that shortly after arriving i'm this
country, his father had remarked that if
things did not go better he would hang
himself. Daniel is employed as a farm
hand.
Jacob Miller when examined told of
finding the body. He knew of no cause
for the old man committing suicide.
Katie Morgenstern told the story of her
father coming to her for fifteen cents
with which to buy beer. She said he had
threatened to kill himself if things did
not take a turn for the better. The
widow and sister Lena told the same
story.
Officer Kitchen and Maier told of carry
ing the remaius into the house. Coroner
Openheimer returned to Canton about 4
O'Clock this morning and will render his
verdict in few days.
The Morgenstern's came to this country
year ago last September, settling in
Massillon. The deceased worked for n
time in the stone quarry of Everhart &
Suder, but was taken down with malaria
fever. For several months past he has
been uEable to do any work, and the
family is in destitute circumstances. The
burial will be at the expense of the
county.