The Saint Paul globe., 1897-05-27
POISON ENDS A life
GUSTAVE WENTZ TAKES A DOSE OF
STRYCHNINE AND IS FOUND
DEAD.
IN A Letter TO A FRIEND
ASKS THAT HIS SISTER IN GER
MANY BE INFORMED OF HIS
DEATH,
-
AND NAMES HIS BURIAL PLACE.
The Suicide Went Through the
Hinckley Fire, and Claimed to
Have Saved Many Lives.
IN A LETTER TO A FRIEND
AND NAMES HIS BURIAL PLACE.

Gustave Wentz, a transient at the
lodging house kept by I. Metzger at
16 East Eighth street, killed himself
after retiring Tuesday night by drink
ing the contents of a small bottle Of
strychnine. The suicide, however, was
not discovered until 2:30 O'clock yester-
day afternoon, when Mrs. MetZger
entered his room and found the body
cold in DEATH. Coroner Nelson was
notified Of the death and an inyestiga-
ton resulted in finding the bottle for
merly containing the poison, and a let
ter in the dead mans coat pocket stat
ing his intention Of taking his life. The
coroner decided no further inquiry nee
essary.
The dead man is a German about
fifty years Of age and formerly work
ed in this city, having been employed
by Jacob Manner as coachman for
nearly ten years. About three years
ago he received $1,000 from local A.
o. U. w. lodge, through the death Of a
brother, and then went to Hinckley,
Minn.. where he engaged in farming.
He went through the disastrous fire Of
the fall of 95, and claimed to have
saved over 100 lives. The fact that his
heroism received no public recognition
has since preyed upon his mind until
it became almost a mania with him,
and this fact is assigned as a possible
reason for his act of self destruction.
Wentz went to the Eighth street lodg-
ing house Monday. He spoke pleasant
ly with Mrs. MetZger and gave no
intimation of contemplating suicide
Tuesday he was absent during the day
but returned about $3.50 in the evening.
and Immediately retired. Nothing was
afterward heard Of the man until his
dead body was discovered yesterday
afternoon.
A number of papers, including a war
ranty deed for forty acres Of land, ex-
ecuted by the Duluth railroad, and a
gold watch chain were found in his
possession, but no money The fact
that the watch was missing may fndi-
cate that WentZ was without funds
and had pawned the timepiece, and,
after spending the money thus secured,
decided to end his poverty by death.
The bottle which had contained the
fatal dose was found back of the
DuTedu. II was dIl OTlSludl Vial, SuCu
as farmers purchase to kill wolves and
had contained sixty grains Of the dead
ly poison, enough to end the lives of
regiment of men. 1t was the opinion
Of Coroner Nelson that the man had
been dead fully twelve hours.
The letter relating his determination
to kill himself was addressed to ]. c..
Jensen, cashier Of the State Savings
bank, at University avenue and Rice
street. Wentz stated that by the time
the epistle reached it's destination he
would be dead, but gave no reason for
his act. He asked Mr.. Jensen to notify
his sister in Germany that he had died
of heart failure, and requested that
he be buried beside his brother In the
Lutheran cemetery on Dale street. The
letter stated that Undertaken Schroeder
knew the location of the cemetery lot
and asked that the writer's body be
turned over to him, a request which
was complied with by Coroner Nelson.
Wentz is not known to have any rel
atives in this country and Mr.. Jensen
knows nothing Of the man beyond hav-
ing occasionally assisted him financial
ly when he was employed in this city.