Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1897-02-15
HANGS HIMSELF.
Suicide Of Winfield S. Tasker
at Gardiner, Saturday.
No Cause Known for Rash Act, Be-
you'd Temporary Insanity.
Extremely Popular Member Of Tasker Eros.
firm-Xarried But Month.

o,,,a Hiis!, req. H. - tSpcclilp.-Nearly
neNond expression. Saturday afternoon,
When the report flew around the street
~, mat W lnfield Scott Tasker had ended his
NE by hanging. at the home of his father
ln-law, Fred Cloud. in Farmingdale. The
matter came in the nature of such ~ sur
PRISE that the average person would not
beyond a doubt.
The affair happened some time between
j and $50 O'Clock. Saturday afternoon,
ana the circumstances connected with the
case are indeed replete with extreme sad
ness. Just one month ago. yesterday.
Ine 18TH day OF January, Mr.. Tasker and
MISS Alice Goud We're united in marriage.
couple started in with their new rela-
tons They Were devoted to each other.
and 1t was often said that happier mar
riaSe rarely takes place. The tragic
death of Mr.. Tasker was a terrible blow
to the members of the families and their
feelings can better be imagined than
described.
The deceased had for over week been
III pensive mood. not seeming to care
anything for the pleasures of life and
manifested disposition to shun the
clety OF his fellow men. Saturday. h. and
Mrs. Tasker went to the home of the lat
ter's parents intending TO take a ride to
Augusta in the afternoon. He informed
the people in the house that he was GO
ing to harness the horse. and went to the
stable, but after remaining there some
time. returned to the house. When asked
if the horse was harnessed. he said no
but he would attend to the matter at
once. He again went to the stable, but
being gone some time, Mrs. Goud and
Mrs. Tasker became alarmed at his PRO-
lonSed absence. and they also went TO the
stable to see what caused it.
Mrs. Goud stepped along to the. stalls.
and not seeing him. went to a passage
building. where she discovered his body
hanging to one of the upriGhts of the
last stall In the meantime Mrs. Tasker
had gone to the loft. in search of her
husband With great presence of mind
under such Il trying ordeal, Mrs. Goud
cut the rope. and summoning neighbor.
had the body removed to the dining room.
Drs. Stcout and GiddinSs We're called and
was soon at the house but pronounced
life extinct An inquest was deemed un
necessary, as all indications pointed to
suicide. Undertaken Prchle was sum
moned and took charge of the remains.
The grief of the stricken relatives was
indeed heart-rending. The young wife.
and could not be comforted. 1t was with
extreme difficulty that she could be per-
suaded to leave the room where her nus
bands body was. to an upstairs apart
rlent. The only persons around the house,
beside the relatives were few neigh
bors and friends, who had come to offer
their sympathy and volunteer such SER
vices as We're needed.
Mrs. Tasker. the mother of the unfortu-
| nate man. was not informed of the case.
| until an hour had elapsed. A neighbor
when the mother had been informed that
Winfield. idol. had committed suicide,
she was overwhelmed with grief
The deceased was 2S years OF age, and
was a member of the firm of Tasker
Brothers. Augusta and Gardiner, c,othicrs
| and hattcrs. He conducted the Augusta
branch store. Besides wife. he is sur
Nived by his parents. Fir, and Mrs. E. d.
| Tasker. two brothers. Albert and Harold.
and one sister. Marion. He was a mem
| her of Augusta Lodge of Masons of Au
gusta.
Albert Tasler.a brother of the deceased,
and member of the firm. talked with a
| Journal reporter concerning the sad case,
My brother Win, has been wrong
| for the past week. said Mr.. Tasker,
| due to over work and worriment over
| business matters. These things led to his;
| death. be committing the rash deed in ID
| fit of temporary insanity.
| DO you think that his troubles were
sufficient to cause him to commit sui
| cde?'
mo. indeed. He was laboring under
| an imagination more than anything else.
| 1t is true he was in pretty hard shedding,
on account of the business depression for
the past two years, but with courage and
fortitude he could have pulled through
all right
than temporary insanity, brought about
by worriment?"
No indeed. ! have known that he had
| not been as iovial and pleasant as is his
custom for the past week. He could wait
on customers and hetray no signs of
nervousness but while he was alone, he
was very taciturn.
when did you last see your brother
alive?''
He came down from Augusta. Satur-
day morning. and during the noon hour.
came in the store to attend to customers
until | returned from dinner. At 80
O'Clock. he left the store saying that he
was going to Augusta. He seemed to be
in excellent spirits and was apparently
all ripbt b1t a Ia ct ha I
saw him alive. He went up to Farming
dale and the first inlzlng that | received
was when my sister came in the store
and told me that somebody was dead in
Farmingdale. on Grant street. | couldn't
think who it could be. but my curiosity
being aroused.I went down to my fathers
Bile, and was told the story
The case is one of the saddest that has
occurred for a long while in the State. In
the prime of life, with the prospects most
bright for the future, surrounded by all
the environments to make life % pleas
ant journey, loved by Il devoted wife and
mother and father and brothers and sis
ter. looked up. to with respect by all his
fcllOWmen, his end was. indeed, sad.
Those that survive him have the deep
est sympathy of the community in their
hour of grief. and many neighbors. and
friends have sent messages of coincidence
to the bereaved relatives, volunteering to
do all possible in their power to lessen
the sorrow brought upon them.
Wherever Win Iasker was known,
Iit Nto IihNu. roi Inc past
few years since he has conducted the Au-
gusta store he has made numerous friends
at the Capital. and here. in our midst,
where he had spent his life. the sorrow
manifested is something that cannot be
described with the pen.
1t mad not been decided, tonight what
time the funeral services will be held
though it was thought that they might
take place. Tuesday. but If this arrange
ment is found to be impracticabie the
funeral will be held. Monday afternoon
The remains have been removed to the
home of the parents of the deceased Mr.
and Mrs. f. d. Tasker in Randolph.