The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1898-04-18
SUICIDE BY HANGING.
John McCrone, Topeka Stonecutter,
Ends His Life Sunday Evening.

A few minutes past o'clock yester-
day afternoon a young lady, hatless and
breathIess rushed into fire station No.
8 on Jefferson street. The young lady
was so badly frightened she could not
utter word but she seized Fireman
Louis Knott by the hand and ran with
him to the SMALL one story frame house
at 228 Jefferson street. Several other
firemen followed. They followed the
young lady into the back door of the
house and she pointed toward the next
room The men rushed in there, horror
stricken to see John McCrone hanging
by the neck. They saw at once that
life was extinct: Thinking that the cor
oner might wish to see the body hang
ing it was allowed to remain until the
police arrived when Sergeant Donovan
ordered it cut down.
after dinner Mr.. McCrOne told his
wife to go calling on some friends, said
Miss Rosa Brown who is a sister of
Mrs. McCrone and who was stopping
with her. Mrs. McCrone said she did
not want to go but her husband urged
her saying he would take care of him
self and would spend the afternoon
reading. Again she objected but Mr..
McCrOne seemed very anxious for her
to go and finally she consented and
went out to spend the afternoon. About
half past three Mr.. McCrone asked me
if 1 did not want to go and visit my
brother in North Topeka. said 1 would
and put on my things and went out of
the house about Is minutes of four. L
went to my brothers in North Topeka
tell me to go home. 1 left there and
came home I got here about o'clock.
1 went in through the kitchen and into
the bed room, lay down on the bed and
threw my. hat to one side. When I
came in the house 1 noticed the outside
door open but thought that Mr.. Nc
CrOne had probably stepped out or was
reading. 1 had not been on the bed
more than a minute when I looked tow
ard the other side of the bed and there
1 saw Mr.. McCrone hanging beside the
bed with his knees touching the floor.
l had dropped my hat on his head. I
grabbed my hat and ran out of the
door. hardly knew where to go for help
SO 1 ran to the fire station. I was so
frightened that I could not speak so 1
took the first man 1 met by the hand
and led him here
The house occupied by Mr.. and Mrs.
McCrone is one story and has small
had removed the boards from the small
scuttle in the bedroom, had taken the
clothes line, doubled it, placed it around
his neck, tied the end to one of the
bards across the scuttle and had them
dropped from the scuttle to the floor.
The fall is supposed to have broken
the cerebral vertebra, causing death in
simultaneously. Coroner J. M WeSterheld
and DR.. Frank H. Martin both examin-
ed the body.
Mrs. McCrone was too grief stricken
to tell anything of the sad affair She
did not reach home until after the body
had been laid upon the bed
MIR. McCrone had been in poor health
for some time said Miss Rosa Brown.
HE continually complained about pain
in his head. He was stone cutter and
could always get work when he wanted
it, but he said last fall that he did not
need to work any more and that he was
not going to. He has not worked very
much since then, but has spent most of
his time reading. He would sit and read
all day sometimes 1 have been with the
family visiting them for two weeks. When
1 first came noticed that Mr. McCrone
acted queerly. He was very anxious yes
a n q
and me out of the house. He carries s., 900
Insurance in the Modern Woodmen-'
The funeral will be in charge of the Mod
ern Woodmen and will take place Tues
day afternoon from Us Jefferson street at