The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1896-08-24
ONE MORE SUICIDE.
O. P. Foster Puts an End to His
Own Life.
A 44-cAlIBER REVOLVER USED.
Humble Woodshed at Fremont Soak
ed with Blood-Insauity the
Cause OF the Tragedy.

The suicide epidemic which has obtained
10 a considerable degree in the city within
the past year, as exhibited by the records
of the police department ana coroner
office. received additional Impetus yestsr-
day morning. when an old man. nalneu
Ole P Foster. placed a ii-caliher revolt
yer in his mouth and put out his LIE.
The act was undoubtedly that OF an IN
sane person. the suicide having only re-
Gently been discharged from Steilacoom,
10 which institution he had been commit
ted for Authorizations OF conspiracy IN
which il appeared 10 the victim that ms
neighbors were in league to Kill him. Inc
commitment was at time not long AFTER
the death of his wife and the probate couf,
of Snohomish county issued the papers
that resulted in his confinement and treat
ment for the mental malady.
About four months ago Mr.. Foster was
discharged from the asylum ana returned
to Snohomsh, where his daughter, Mrs.
Rauenzahn, whose husband was employed
in the market of Bruhn & Henry, resided.
IL was generally believed by the friends
and nelghbors of the family that Mr.. Fos-
ter had been discharged as cured much
too soon. as his return to his friends anu
old associations seemed 10 revive the iifst
causes OF his mental unsoundness. ana IN
less than a week he was full again Oh the
ideas OF plots against his welfare and even
his life.
Mrs. Rauenzahn, accompanied by her
two children. came down TO Fremont, a
little more than a week ago, TO visit an OLD
friend of the family. Mr.. A. w Miller
who lives alone in that suburb. MIR. Miller
is an old gentleman. said TO be 20 years OF
age, who lives in "a little cottage at the
rear of the Shorey house. about half a
block away and situated among a cluster
of houses, reached by paths along un-
opened streets and across vacant lots. he
is said to be man of some means ana u
not engaged In any business. MIS-. Itau-
enzahn and her children had arrived Sat-
urday. August Is. and had purposed re-
naming bout a week. Friday night Mr..
Foster came down to Fremont from Sno-
homish and visited his daughter during
the evening at Mr.. Miller's home. lie
then went and took a room at the Snorey
house for the night and Saturday night
AGAIN called and spent the evening al Mr.
MiIler's His hallucinations regarding the
plots against him intruded themselves
irto his conversation and he left the mouse
10 return to his room at the Shorey, IN
a more or less nervous CONDITION. Earty
Yesterday morning Mrs. Rauenzahn Mt
lie boy Arthur awoke and heard what ne
thought was the sound of groans he
aroused his mother. who called Mr.. Miller
and asked him TO investigate the cause.
Mr.. Miller went outside and looked INTO
the little iean-to woodshed at the side OF
the house and saw Mr. Foster lying on MS
face with what he thought TO be bottle
in his hand He returned 10 the house
and informed Mrs. Rauenzahn that nc
thought her father had been drinking. In
the meantime the boy, Arthur, had pressed
the investigation and came back and told
his mother that 1t was revolver ana not
a bottle that was in his grandfather
hand. .
Subsequent inquiry substantiated the re-
mort and Foster was found dead, party
on his face. the upper part OF his BODY
messed against pile OF kindling WOOD.
The supposition Is that he sat on chop-
ring block in the shed when the shot was
fred and that the body was forced as X
faii hy the heavy bail that was found later
"a he pressing against the rear OF his head,
where the bone was shattered.
The deceased was C years OF age. al
.bough he did not look II. When the body
was removed later on. the terrible WORK
~ the heavy ball was shown IN the blood
.hat saturated the ground and the pile OF
wood against which the head bad rested
q NJ. Rutterwerth. acting as deputy cor
oner. took charge Of the remains and sent
a wire TO Mr. Rauenzahn. at SnohomiSh-
Getting forth the facts OF the suicide. tie
,olsgrenhea that II would be ifnposs BIO
for hgnn 70 get away yesterday evening
b,,t that he would be down this morning
on the Great Northern train The ar
engagements for the funeral Will be made
after his arrival