The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-07-26
WAS TIRED OF LIVING
Jacob Bruesch. a Painter, Cuts
the Knot of Life.
TOOK THE RAZOR ROUTE
His Mind Was Disordered-Had Been q
Resident of Butte for Many
Y~ears-Three Suicides
in a Week.


Jacob Bruesch. a painter by trade and
an old resident OF Butte, committed sui
eide yesterday at his home in North
| Washington street by cutting his
throat with a razor. completing the Ia
tai circle of three suicides. all of which
have occurred within a week. As in
the cases of Jones and Cato, tae sui
eide of Bruesch, was the result of a dis
| ordered mind.
Fol- a great many years Bruesch had
been a resident of Butte and was well
known as a painter and p~aperhanger.
He had formerly been a heavy drinker,
but a few years ago he took the kael-y
cure and since then had sritiInbeen
known to take a drink. AbssainiHg
from drink or the effect of thtdfure
had a deleterious effect on his system,
and from the time he took the cure he
vas never well and his mind gradually
became diseased, till he had come To be
regarded by his friends as decidedly
unbalanced. He was troubled "a great
deal with his tomac and lAst winter
went to California for his health. The
change appeared TO do him no good. or
at least he thought so and he only
stayed o "A month and returned to
Butte. Since his return he had been a
very sick man. both in body and mind.
and his suicide vas no surprise to his
friends
Bruesch had no relatives in the city
and made a sort Of headquarters at the
saloon on West Broadway u by Her
man Miller, who was one of his Oldest
friends. Miller had for a long time 90
served the gradual decay of his friends
mine and had taken occasion to say to
other friends that he ought to be
watched, but the idea of Bruesch doing
himself any harm was laughed at, as
one of his friends except Miller seemed
to think there was anything desperate
in his character. During the past week
Miller again had occasion to become
alarmed. Bruesch frequently remarked
that he knew he was going to die, and
each day would say he knew he woul1
not live another day, as often remark
ing that if he were not ashamed of Il
he would commit suicide. The ~frequen-
cy of these remarks caused Miller -
again remark, only a couple OF days
ago., to some of BruesCh's friends. that
he would yet commit suicide, but the
idea was again secuted and no heed
paid to Miller's fears.
Except that II. NJ. Bibb, another
painter. Occupied a room in the house,
Bruesch lived alone in his cottage IN
North Washington street. When Bibb
was working he was about the house
very little, but when he was not work
ing he quite frequently spent some time
with Bruesch to cheer him up He.wds
not working yesterday n concluded
as usual to visit his friend. He went
up TO the house about l o'clock in the
afternoon and. pushing open the door,
was Mortified to see Bruesch lying on.the
| floor in a pool of blood, with his throat
cut. Bibb did not stop to investigate,
but ran with all haste to Miller's place
and the two went to the house together.
on entering they found Bruesch had
evidently been dead some time, as the
body was cold. Coroner Tremblay was
Immediately notified. By the side IF
the body, near the right hand, lay a
razor on the floor. With Ii a cash had
been cut i'm the left wrist and the throat
was cut from ear to ear. almost sever
ing the head. \ small pool of blood
by the side of the bed would seem 10
indicate that the suicide had first sat
down on the bed and tapped the artery
i'm his wrist. and, finding he did not die
fast enough, had at length cut his
throat.
After the coroner had viewed the re-
mains the body was sent to Richards
undertaking rooms. Bruesch left no
note or word to anyone, at least none
was found, but his friend Bibb states
that on the day previous Bruesch wrote
a note in his presence and then sent
him down town. 1t now occurs to TO
Bibb that his friend probably intended
to kill himself then. but finally decided
to postpone the act, The note was
probably destroyed, a. it has not been
found.
Bruesch was 81 years of g and a
| native Of Switzerland. He had earlier
in life been married and had two chill
dren. He was divorced from his wife
more than Is years ago and both chill
dren died. He has relatives in Indiana,
who have been t~elegraphed. The de-
! ceased made his will some time &
and intrusted the document, together
| with. all his other papers, to his oldes:
friend, Abraham Buel, who lives In The
| Bitter Root country. Mr. Buel' has also
been notified by telegraph, Dipping his
long residence in Butte Bruesch had by
his industry acquireh considerable
property and owned several valuable
| pieces of residence property. The lie
| ceased was a member of the Sons OF
Herman and had at one time been a
member of the |. q. o. +. n a. %. u.
w. orders. The former society Will take
charge of the funeral arrangements,
| subject to the wishes of the relatives.
Coroner TTemhlay expects to hold an IN
quest at Richards undertaking rooms
| this afternoon or evening.