The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-05-07
SUICIDE OF LOUIS SAHM.
Unaccountable Act of Bright and Well. Con-
necied YoEng Man.

Louis SahE1. aged twenty-eight. we'll
known as a bright and Industrious young
man. ended his own life yesterday early.
by swallowing a dose of cyanide of potas-
stun. The suicide was committed at the
home Of his father, No. 142 Fort Wayne av-
enue, where the body was found cold IN
death at q few minutes after s o'clock. The
young man had not been living with his
parents regularly. but spent q great deal of
his time with bis sister. who resides on
Brookside avenue. He kept a room at his
fathers home and entered the house. it
seems. on Friday night without the knowl-
edge of the household.
His sister grew alarmed at his failure to
Albert Sahm. who instituted q search fors
him. HIS father was notified yesterday
morning of his disappearance. and think
ing he might possibly be in his room up
stairs, walked MP to the apartment and at
tempted to open the door. which was
locked. Continuous knocking failed to
elicit q response from the inside, and q
ladder was placed against the house and
an entrance effected through the window.
Once inside the room the fears which had
aroused the suspiciOns of the family were
realized.
The young man lay upon the bed with
evidence of having been dead several
hours. On q table within a few feet of his
body was o Eote which told the cause or
the deed and his bank and building and
loan books. A bottle containing q small
amount of cy anide of potassium and water
was found near by. which he had taken and
had coolly written across the page of his
last letter the words 10y anide pott." In
side the bottle was o dead wasp, the pres
- "a tho tnQaat f0 fha fhnnru fhae
he had gone about the work coolly and de-
hberately. and In order to test the poison
had imprisoned the wasp and watched the
effect. The letter left by young Sahm read
as follows:
INDIANAPOLIS. May 5, 's3.
Cyanide Pott. Friends and Relatives:
write this note in explanation of what may
appear q rash act; but to me 1t viii mean peace.
BY a hasty and unfortunate conclusion / ac-
CURED obligations which l feel L cannot meet,
and rather than lose all TO those whom 1 would
want to provide for. l will give up.
My life has been one of misfortune and misery.
and. in ending IL to-day. l feel it will be for the
best. / forgive all and hope to be forgiven.
May humanity become better and misery end.
Goodbye. LOUIS SAHM, JR.
The obligations" referred to above are
believed by his relatives to have come con-
nection with the recent purchase of q pho
tograph gallery by him. which he intended
operating. That be should have commit
ted suicide on account of his inability to
meet financial demands ie not credited by
his family, for 1t is stated that he was not
at all cramped In money matters. and had
no reason To brood over business affairs.
He has been employed ut the lounge fac
tory of Otto Stechhan & Co. for the past
year, and was seemlnR ly cOntented. He
was of an industrious nature, and pos
sessed a degree of intelligence far above
the average. He was prominently connect
ed with the Progress Club. and was very
popular not only with the members ot the
oI,h hpf onn0nU hIa aaaania faa UanaraIly
Coroner Beck was called to view the re-
mains.