The Savannah morning news., 1901-08-04
SIN CAUSED SUICIDE
OTTO GUTH OF AUGUSTA KILLED
BY HIS OWN HAND.
FEARED WlFE'S HOME COMING
TURNED ON THE GAS IN HIS ROOM
IN GRAND CENTRAL HOTEL.


Rash Act-His LifeIess Body
Found Yesterday Morning ON the
FIoOr-AIthOugh N Married Man He
Was Fond of the Society of other
Women and This Probably Caused
His Tragic Death-His Wife I'm
Germany, but Was Expected
shortly with Her son--Guth Was
Evidently Afraid TO Meet Her-He
Told a Former Augusta Physician,
From whom He Borrowed Money,
That He Had Lost at Cards mt Ty-
bee.
Otto Guth, an Augusta tailor, COM
mitted suicide in Room at the Grand
Central Hotel. on West Broad street.
at an early hour yesterday morning. by
asphyxiation. His lifeless body was dis
covered on the floor shortly after 3
o'clock by Otto w. Nell, who had SMELL
ed the escaping gas.
Guth killed himself in a deliberate
manner and while he was sober. He
had been gambling at Tybee and had
lost his money. This, however, is not
thought to have had anything to do
with the suicide. He left brief note,
and from it's contents 1t is gathered
that the man had gotten himself in
trouble with some woman in Augusta.
He expected his wife home within the
next few weeks, and he was probably
afraid to face her, although she had
known of his weakness for other wo-
men.
Guth called at the hotel few min
utes after II o'clock Friday night, and
asked for a room. He had no baggage
and was assigned to room 6, for which
he paid. On the register he scrawled
* Karbig, Macon" Just why he
chose to use an alias cannot be imag-
! ined, unless il was that he at first in
tended to destroy his papers and hide
his identity. He drank glass of beer
before going upstairs, and probably de-
cided after he reached the room, to
leave some word that might account
for his strange act.
He ordered a bottle Of beer after
which he locked his door, placed his
| coat and hat on a chair, and began
writing. He probably turned on the
| gas at once, and was writing and
drinking the beer while the room was
being filled. Gradually he lost con-
seriousness, and when found the pencil
that he had used was resting near his
| hand, while on his left side was the
rather disjointed death statement.
The note was taken in charge by Cor
oner Keller and reads as follows: ut
is lie, because it is not true. never
| touched that girl. Pay $3.50 to Royal
Arcanum in Augusta for dues, and 1t
is only spite work which I last been
go. Tend to the birds and dogs and
| flowers. I am tired, anyhow; that girl
and neighborhood is very low down
niger. Give my best respect to wife
and child. Otto Guth."
On the mans person was found S10.S7,
a bank book. showing deposit in Au-
gusta amounting to some $500. Royal
| Arcanum pin and a watch. These ar
| ticles were also taken in charge by
| Coroner Keller and will be held. Guths
wife is in Germany, with her son, and
| it was not known last night what dis
position will be made of the body. So
4 far as Is known the dead man has no
relatives in this country.
| DR. F. Wahl formerly lived In Au-
gusta and knew Guth for twelve years
He said that the man worked hard at
his trade. Although a married man,
| when he first went to Augusta, Guth
palmed himself off as a single man. and
I was engaged to be married when his
| wife appeared on the scene. She went
to Germany some time ago to get her
son, by another husband, and during
her absence Guth became tied up with
someone else.
Evidently someone had threatened to
disclose to his wife what had happened,
| and Guth was fearful of meeting her.
He called upon DIR. VAIL Friday af-
ternoon and stated that he had been
to Tybee for several days and had lost
all of his money in a game. He want
ed to borrow a few dollars to try his
luck again, and was accommodated.
Guth gave his wife's check for the
amount secured and left, saying that
he would return to Tybee at once.
DIR. VAIL knew that the man had
always been very fond of card playing.
He noticed, too, that Guth was nervous
and agitated, but did not ask the rea-
son. He was sure his condition had
not been brought about by his losses,
for he took everything as a matter of
| fact At that time Guth was evidently
thinking of the Augusta affair, and pic
| turing the scene upon the return of his
wife to this country.
The pouice We're notified of the suicide
and Detectives Murphy and Wall visit
ed the room. and viewed the remains
to ascertain if there had been any foul
play. Coroner Keller was at the county
farm and was promptly notified of the
death by telephone. He came to the
city at once and turned the body over
to Undertaken Goette. No inquest was