The Topeka state journal., 1897-11-22
DROWNED IN A
WATER BARREL
Ed Buechner Found Dead in
His Meat Market.
His Head Submerged in a Bar
rel of Water
While His Feet Still Rested ON
the Floor.
HAD HEART DISEASE.
A Sudden Attack is Supposed to
Have Caused His Death.
He Was an Old and Highly Re-
spected Citizen.

barrel, Edward Buechner. an old and
respected German citizen of Topeka,
was found dead in his meat market at
5:30 this morning.
Whether he died from drowning or
from heart failure will probably never
be known as there is no disposition to
make a post mOrtem examination. When
he was found he was leaning over into
the barrel with his shoulders and head
under the water but his feet were on
the floor. He has been a sufferer from
heart trouble for more than year
The Buechner family do not lie in bed
late. Long before the first streaks of
dawn are seen in the east every mem
ber is astir and this morning was no
exception. Fred Buechner, the 2O-year-
old SOn is usually the first to arise. 1t
has been his duty to go to the shop and
open it early for morning customers.
But he was not the first there this
morning.
The elder Buechner came home early
last night. He looked a trif1e haggard
but did not complain. He ate his sup
per and soon after went to bed. He
slept down stairs with his 13year-Old
son Eddie while the rest of the family
had their sleeping rooms on the second
floor.
When Eddie Buechner awakened at
o'clock this morning his father was not
in bed. He had not heard him leave
the room. After looking at the clock
the boy arose and called his brother
Fred who got up at once. He thought
nothing of the fact that his father was
not in the house for he often arose ear
ly though he seldom went to the shop
before breakfast.
When Fred Buechner left the house
to open the meat market the Santa Fe
whistle was blowing its early morning
signal He walked rapidly for the air
was cold and bracing. AS he neared
the shop he noticed that there was a
light burning in the back room but the
front door was locked. He entered the
place without thought of the hOrrify-
ing spectacle that was awaiting him.
In the faint light of the gas jet ne
noticed that something seemed to be
prOtruding from the barrel which sat in
q dark corner near the ice box to re-
ceive the drippings from the melted ice.
He walked toward the barrel and his
heart almost stopped beating as he saw
the body of his father half in and half
out of the water barrel He caught
hold 70 his clothes and made a frantic
effort to pull the body from the barrel
but it would not move. He called in
pleading tones to his beloved parent but
there was no reply Again he braced
himself and pulled with all his might.
His strength was the strength of des-
peratiOn but though he strained every
muscle the body of his father still hung
limp and mOuOnless with the head un-
der the icy water.
Realizing that he could do nothing he
rushed through the back door to the
has a bakery. Mayer was already at
work. Wild eyed and almost frantic
the boy broke IN at the door.
oh come, please come and help me-
he sObbed. Papa is in a barrel in the
shop and I cannot get him out. Oh
please come quick
Mayer did not at first understand
what the boy said, so much was his
language broken by sobs and he re-
peated his entreaty. Then the baker
left his work and the two ran into the
Buechner shop. They both tried to lift
the body but the weight was too great.
John Walder who is an assistant in the
bakery was then called and by fitting
the barrel the three men succeeded in
dragging the lifeless body from it.
Let US move him around screamed
the son Of the dead man. He is not
dead. He is not dead
For five minutes the three worked
with the heavy body. They lifted it up
and down and moved it from one side
to another but there was no upward
movement of the chest, no dilatiOn of
the nOstrilS to mark the return of life
Edward BueChner would never breath
again. His life went out while he hung
helpless with his head in the water.
The police were notified and the body
was removed to the Shenabarger un-
dertaking establishment but not until a
final effort had been made by a physi-
clan to restore animation.
Witnesses at the cOrOner's inquest
testified that Mr.. Buechner has been a
sufferer with heart disease for over a
year. He could walk but a short dis
tance without stopping to rest. Oscar
BischOff testified that in walking with
Mr.. Buechner across the Kansas ave-
nue. bridge he had been seized with an
attack of the disease and he was COM
PEELED to stop several minutes before he
recovered sufficiently to resume his
journey
It is supposed that Mr.. Buechner
got up early this morning because he
was suffering with his old malady He
did not wish to disturb the family and
so decided to go to the shop and per-
form the functions usually done by his
son, Fred.
Baker Mayer says that Buechner
was at the shop at 4 o'clock this morn
ing. 1t has been the custom to place
the celery left over from the days
business in the drip barrel. The first
thing done in the morning is to re-
move the celery and take two or three
buckets of water from the barrel 10
prevent it from running over. Mr.
Buechner had taken three buckets Of
water from the barrel. They were left
standing by its side. He had taken out
a bunch of celery, and there was an
other in the barrel
The water was not far from the top
and he saw the white celery floating on
the top. 1t would require only a slight
effort to reach it. Mr.. Buechner lean
ed over the side and reached down
Then it was that the terrible disease
which had made his existence a night
mare. seized him. He struggled in his
agony, but could not raise his head