The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1899-01-16
QUITS THE WORLD
Reinhart kuehne Deliberately
Takes His Own Life
By Means of a Pistol Shot in
the Head.
PRCATICED FOR DAYS
To Attain Proficiency in the
Use of the Weapon.
Suicide Was a Cousin of Otto
Kuehne Of This City.

Reinhart Kuehne, a cousin OF OTTO
Kuehne, committed suicide at $50 sat
urday afternoon by blowing his brains
out with a revolver. The place Where
the suicide was committed was on the
north bank of the Kansas river near the
preserving works. When the body was
found it was half covered by water
Mrs. Dreyer, sister of the dead man
and in whose house he lived, saw an
object in the water and thought per-
haps it was a boy who had fallen IN
She called some of the neighborS VINO
went down and drew the hteIess pooy
of her brother out of the water anu
stretched it on the bank He hao prop
ably been dead but a short time ne
had shot himself in the right SIDE OF Ihe
head and the bullet had ranged down
ward taking effect in the base OF the
skull
A short time before the suicide was
discovered, some of the sisters family
saw Kuehne going towards the river
with box. After the body was found
a search was made for the box but II
could not be found. 1t was supposed TO
contain papers and letters belonging 10
the dead man. A diligent search was
made but no trace of it was found ana
it may be that he threw it into the river
and the current carried it away
Kuehne probably seated himseit on
a log that projects into the water Where
he was found, placed the revolver TO ms
head and fired. He fell from the log
into the river. The revolver was found
on the river bank The body was re-
moved to an undertakers on the south
side of the river and yesterday after
noon the corOner'S jury brought IN a
verdict of suicide
Otto Kuehne, cousin of the dead man.
was in Colorado when the suicide hap
pened. He was telegraphed for and ar
rived home last night in time to attend
the funeral which took place this after
noon
KuabrA bOyrbt a revolver several
days ago and practiced with it shooting
at a mark. He told his friends that
he wished to become an expert marks
man and it is likely that he wished to
his own life. He was 80 years old and
came to this country from Germany
two years ago and has been in the en-
plOy of his cousin in the factory ever
since. He could talk English imper-
fectly and seemed worried because he
could not make himself better under
stood. He had no close companions
and was somewhat morose.
Mrs. Otto Kuehne said: I'VE can not
imagine why Reinhart should have
wanted to kill himself, unless he was
the old country, and when he came
here he did not seem to like it very
we'll. There was very little work suited
for him in the factory. He was not able
to do heavy work, and could not talk
English we'll enough for office work
His cousin allowed him to choose any
kind of work he wanted in the factory,
and paid him his salary more to keep
him up than to secure his services. He
appeared to be worrying because he did
not learn the language faster. He would
not talk with strangers in English for
fear of making mistakes He was very
well educated in Germany. He had
taken a course in the universities.
He did not drink to excess, and so
that can not be the reason of his action.
He appeared to care very little for wine
or liquor of any kind