The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1891-06-18
MADE SURE HIS WORK.
Theodore Reiss Commits Suicide
Sunday Night.
He Stands Before a Looking Glass
With Razor in Hand,
And Nearly Sewers His Head From His
Body--A ahastly Sight.

The records are fast becoming filled up.
murder Saturday night was followed by
a suicide Sunday night, and the suicide
was the bloodier OF the two.
Theodore Reiss came to this city about
thiaty years ago and has been engaged in
selling spectacles, trading watches and
dealing in other jeweiry. There are few
people in the city who did not know him.
Sunday night he was at his room, which
is at Mrs. Agnes Van Horns lodging
house, No. la East Tuscarawas street.
he sat outside of the house for some Tina
and then went up to his room which Is on
the second floor. He was not again seen
alive.
This morning about o'clock Mrs. Van
Horn went up stairs to make the beds for
the other dodgers in the house. She noticed
that Reiss had left llis key on the outside
OF the door. Ihnking lhuI this was
strange procedure on his ~ rt she knock.
ed AT the door ba, received no answer.
She then opened tne dnrr but immedi.
ately recoiled with strIrk of fright and
horror. On the floor in one corner of the
room, stark naked, with his head nearly
severed from his body lay her lodger.
She gave the alarm and j. ii. Morehead
and M. l.. Pearson came over to the house.
Coroner Openhimer was notified and was
soon on the spot. In the meantime a
NEWS 'DEMoCRAT reporter arrived but the
door was guarded by Officer VoglegesAng
and Special Officer Dick Weber, and was
not opened until the arrival of the coroner,
who accompanied by DR.. March soon APP
peared. The sight within the room was a
horrifying one. In one corner OF the room
with his head doubled under his shoulder,
lay the body of Theodore Reiss. The
room was fairly swimming in blood, and
the officers and the reporter were obliged
to wade through 1t before they could get
into the room. Reiss was stark naked,
having divested himself Of ali his clothing.
Under his body lay an ordinary razor, very
sharp and keen and covered with blood.
The wash stand, looking glass and wall
around the washstand were literally COW
cred with blood. On the top of the wash
stand was pool of blood, which had over.
flowed and run down the sides OF the
washstand.
From indications, Reiss had made every
preparation 10 commit the deed. he must
have stood up before the glass in order to
~, ke q sure job of 1t. After cutting his
throat ne fell back and must have expired
within few moments.
When the body was lifted out from the
corner of the room where the light from
the window fell upon the ghastly cut, Er
Marsh said; "Thats the best job OF
throat cutting ever saw"
The head was nearly severed from the
body, and from the nature OF the cut II is
evident that he drew the razor across his
throat more than once.
The body was covered with blood from
head to foot. The bed had been mussed
up and Reiss had probably lain down be-
fore he concluded to commit the deed. II
was a sickening sight to behold, and the
spectators shuddered as the coroner con-
tinued with his investigation.
The deceased had been rooming al
Mrs. Van Horn's house for six years. He
Is reported 10 be quite wealthy, having