People's voice. [volume] (Wellington, Sumner County, Kansas) 1890-1917, 1898-01-27
FL. COILS SUICIDES.
Threw Himself i'm n Ctsfern
Early This Morning.


Frank L. Coils, a half brother OF
Ed L. Taylor, a Santa Fe brakeman
living on North A street, adjoining
the residence OF Warren Burnley,
committed suicide about 6o'clock this
morning by jumping into Il clstern.
The act was committed while in TT
OF dependency caused by i'll health.
His body was discovered by Ed Taylor
about fifteen minutes after the deed
was committed, A rope was lowered
into the cistern by Warren Brumley
and with the assistance of Frank Sny.
der, John Richardson, Will Lichten-
berger and Lud Frambers, the BODY
was taken out and relatives OF the
deceased notified by wire in accord.
ance with last wish expressed by
Coils last night before he retired.
The deceased came here from
Omaha, Neb., about month ago with
a vltascope outfit. He was formerly
a South Dakota ranchman. Last
summer he gave yitascope exhibitions
10 Nebraska, but was taken sick in
the fall and forced to quit the busi-
ness temporarily. He came to We'll
lington about the 10Th of December
to remain with his mother, Mis-. HE.
Taylor, and his half-brother. Ed L.
Taylor, until his health was restored.
His health gradutlly grew worse and
during tie past week he exhibited
symptoms of unsoundness OF mind.
He frequently would talk in an inco
herent way about things which evil
IDENTIFY came to him 10 deirous
dreams and weighed upon his mind.
Last night Coils retired about If 80
O'Clock, shortly after Ed Taylor zane
10 from up town. Before going TO nd
he told Taylor that in The event he
was found dead this morning to wire
his uncle, W. II. Egan Of Mulvane.
That was all he said. Taylor was not
particularly alarmed at the remark.
because he knew his brother was de.
iirlous at the time. This morning
about $50 o'clock Warren Brumley
heard Coils come out on the back
porch at Taylor'S and cough. Coils
evidently went back into the house
again, for at 800 Ed Taylor heard
him moving about the house. lie
supposed there was nothing wrong.
Fifteen minutes later Taylor went
outside and noticed the door of tie
cistern lying on the porch. He looked
into the cistern and found his brother
lying in the water face downward.
An alarm was given and neighbors
helped take the body out. Before leav-
Ing the house Coils took a $40 bill
from his pocket and threw it on the
kitchen floor. This was all the money
he had.
The back porch to the Taylor home
is reached by short fight of steps.
The mouth of the cistern is nearly
under the porch and just beside the
flight Of steps. The only covering is
trap door about eighteen inches
square. Coils had descended the
steps, lifted the door from the clstern.
laid it on the porch above him and
plunged feet downward into the
water. The water in the cistern is
about five feet in depth. When found
the body was lying mOtionless in
death and the water was placid. His
body had floated until bis head and
shoulder rested against the walls of
the cistern. The rope with which
the body was rescued was put around
him by means of wire.
Collis' aged mother is lying il! at
the house where her son committed
suicide. She is an invalid and is in
very poor health. 1t is feared that
she will succumb 10 grief over the sad
ending Of her son.
Coils is about 81 years Of age and
unmarried. His mother, half brother
and uncle at Mulvane are his only
relatives. Arrangements have not
been made for the funeral.
Wellington Markets.