The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1899-08-04
Explains Why He Was Driven
to Commit Suicide.
SUED FOR DIVORCE.
Says Wife and s. B. Tsenhart
Were the Cause
Trying to Take His Hack Away
From Him.
Asks Well Known People to Act
as PalIbearers.

ITO the Editors Of the city papers:
Il hope the following requests Will Dc
granted:
''First-George B. Palmer is to be the
undertaken. Rev. Calvin Holman VIII
please preach the funeral sermon, 1un-
eraI services to be held in NJ. F. churcn'
North Kansas avenue, North Iopeka,
tf agreeable to all.
please act as pallbearers: NJ. 9. Ho1-
man, Charlie Berry, T. NJ Forbes, l.
w. DoolittIe. manager of the Throop
hotel; Frank S. Thomas, H. p KNIGHT
manager Copeland hotel
u wish to give a very brief eXpIana-
ton why this deed is committed. My
wife and s. B. Isenhart are the cause Sc
of this. They are making an effort IN
court to take from me all the avail
able means of support have on earIh
to make a living. She will have dl-
vorce that will last for all time to come,
so far as I am concerned, Which she
could not get had I been disposed to op-
pose it. 1 did not want to go TO law
for my children's future welfare Iney
have been very intimate for several
years, that is my wife and s. B. 1sen-
hart. Much more might be said. VIII
close by returning sincere thanks to all
those who so faithfully patronized me
fn my business.
Good bye to all.
-. W. SMITH"
The above letter was left by J. w.
Smith, a hackman living at 913 Jackson
street, North Topeka He committed
shooting himself through his heart. The
message was found in an envelope on
the floor close by the body.
He prepared for the deed and left de-
tailed instructions about the funeral
and disposition of his body. He held
the revolver in his left hand when he
fired the fatal shot. No marks were
made on his clothing and he probably
held back his undershirt as he fired.
The bullet entered at the base of the
heart and he lived but few moments.
He was lying on his back in the front
room down stairs with the revolver
lying close beside him and several let
ters and notes near by. Cyrus Ogee,
who lives in the same house, was
awakened by a loud noise. He thought
that Smith had fallen down stairs and
he ran from his room in the back of
the house to the foot of the stairs. The
door to the front room was open. He
saw Smith lying on the floor dressed in
a pair of trousers and undershirt. He
was grOaning and his limbs were
twitching. Ogee ran at once for a ply
sic1an and when he returned Smith was
dead.
Smith was a hack driver but did not
take his hack out of the barn as usual
yesterday. He gave as his reason that
1t was too hot. When evening came he
went up town. Later he returned and
spent an hour writing letters. He left
the mouse again and David Harold,
night clerk at the Adams house in
North Topeka, says that Smith was
there between u and o'clock writing
talked about the hotel business. He
asked for an envelope and left.
He returned to Mrs. Ogee's house
where he rOOmed, and went I'D to his
room Later he went down stairs and
sat in a chair on the front porch for
some time. Cyrus Ogee heard him walk
out to the barn several times but as he
was IN the habit of sitting on the porch
at night he thought nothing of it
When it was found that he had com
mitted suicide, Sergeant Belts and Of
eea1- 7r1a ar7~ Ia
the body lying close to the wall The
revolver, with one chamber empty. "
ing on the floor close to the left hand.
Near by was a coat with slip of ma
per With the following message:
H ). Pruessner, Secondhand Dealer
Sl3 North Kansas avenue.
Return this gun to the above ad-
oress- II IS paid for-that is the use of
IL J. w. SMITH
Letters addressed to E. E. Smith. his
son who lives in Ottawa, John McAbea
frank 5 Thomas and to Mrs KfmbalI
1he letter to Cyrus Ogee instructed
MIN TO summon his son Elmer. from OF
taWa, and not to open his room m
stars until his son arrived. The key to
the room was enclosed in the envelope
The suit he wished to be buried in he
Wrote was on his bed. He wished that
ms body be left in the front room of
the mouse until the burial If his BODY
could not be left at the house he re-
quested that George B. Palmer take
charge Of his remains
---hAAGA AA1AG NIlLIGn on a Of
paper requested that George B.
Palmer be called. A letter LEFT FOR
Frank Thomas left Instructions abOrr
some business matters and stated that
he had left a will
Some time ago Mrs. Smith. his second
wife, through her attorney. S r Tse1-
mart, brought suit for divorce and also
SUIT to gain possession of the harix
Wnlch Mr- Smith drove. While Smith
never intimated that he intended IN
commit suicide he worried a great deal
over mis- troubles and renna rked TO sp5-
era1 that he had trouble enough to kin
Ten men He complained that he was
TOO old to drive a hack and that the
winter weather was too severe on him
he wished to find some other means Of
making a living He was over so years
OF age, and was considered one Of the
most reliable hackmen in the city.
Inc coroner's jury brought in the US
ual verdict of suicide. The arrange
ments for the funeral will be made af
ter the arrival Of the son from Ottawa
JUDGE ISENHART'S STATEMENT
5. 3; Isenhart said this morning: II
nave Deen told that this hack driver
Stnlths VINO committed suicide left
letter In which he makes some false
charSes or lnsinuations against myself
and MS wife. All I care TO saw in an
sWer 70 anything he has said is that
something like three years ago he and
lis wife separated for the sole and onfv
reason, as both his wife and daughter
Hold me, because he beat both of them
Snamefully and at one time almost
killed the girl They both came to see
eae IA reference to the trouble, and /