Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1902-08-12
WAS 1T SUICIDE?
Life Insurance Agents Dead Body
Found in Davis County Jail.

young life insurance agent, took MS
own life last evening. His lifeless
body was found on the cold floor of
the Davis county Jail. The indica-
lions point strongly to suicide al
though the county officials protest that
this is not the case. They say the
young man was victim of his own
carelessness and took an overdose OF
bromedia without suicidal intent, for
the purpose of inducing sleep. Let
tiers found among the young mans
effects point to different theory and
indicate that the woman, whose &C.
cepted lover he is believed to have
been, has cast MIN aside. An inquest
was held but the suicide theory was
not sustained at the hearing. The
young mans parents I've at Bushnell,
H., and have been communicated with
and will arrive today. Chichester was
awaiting trial in district court on the
charge of having stolen a seal skin
coat from Mrs. George L. Croft in |
this city last May. He was captured
at Moultcn and brought Lack here and
lodged in Jail
Found the Body.
Last evening William Songer, JAM
tor of the Jail and court house, went
into the corridor of the Jail for the
purpose of getting the basket which
contained Chidester's supper. At that
time the young man was lying on the
cot in his cell asleep. The ianitor re-
turned about o'clock and found
Chidister lying on the floor in the
main part of the Jail. He endeavored
to arouse the young man but his eff
forts were in vain. Becoming alarmed
he summoned DR.. Giles who pronounc-
ed Chichester dead. An investigation
revealed the fact that the victim had
been in the habit of taking bromedia
ever since his confinement in the jail,
to induce sleep This fact convinces
the officers that death resulted from
an accidental overdose. Certain let
ters, however written by the young
man point to different conclusion
The body was removed to the home
of County Attorney l. c. Dabney where
it awaits the arrival of the young
mans father from Bushnell III.
A coroner's Jury was eDpaneled con-
sisting of H. A. Wishard, Sherman
Rome and w. w. Newton. A verdict
: was returned to the effect that Chi
dester "came to his death by an over.
, dose of medicine administered by his
own hand, but whether with suicidal
5 intent or not is not known"
l Chidester's History.
t In April. of this year, tall young
| fellow. apparently 20 years of age
: came to Bloomfield. He dressed fair
e ly well and said he was life insur
: ance agent. After time he began
!. paying attention to Mrs. Ora Hill, g
l trimmer in the employ of Mrs. George
u L. Croft. One evening last May Chi
y dester called upon Mrs Hill The same
u night a sealskin cloak valued at S15(
! disappeared. Upon the discovery of thu
/ theft an inquiry was instituted which
y revealed the fact that Chidesters &C
= tons had been suspicious. He lef
= town but was taken into custody a
,, Moulton The cloak was recovered i,
:, was placed in Jail to await the actiol
g of the grand jury. Since his confine
- ment, it is said, he has been accuston
h ed to taking heavy doses of bromedi
n. to lessen the effects of insomnia.
g Writes Despondent Letter.
e A copy of letter written to Claud
IS Dabney, son of County Attorney |. {
c. Dabney but never received by hin
ID was found among Chidester's effect
lie 1t is very respondent in its tone an
e was penned yesterday, presumably.
u, follows
% 81 have told thee all my love, gui
ID and sorrow | am sick of life. A
es night | wept in the darkness and tn
d. morn glares upon me as upon thin
d accused that has no business on til
al hot 4
pleasant toll that once | loved. Tt
m cheerful voices of my friends have a
of unnatural horror in my ear. All tn;
IS look upon me seem to know my sham
of | cannot bear their eyes. cannot fro
TO- my heart root out the love that wiring
it so and I must die"
ro- This last sentence is supposed to I
Id fer to Mrs. Hill, the woman whose a
ny cepted lover he is said to have bee
or She is now resident of Lake CT
lis Qa). Whether she turned again
M him when he landed in jail or was st
IN his friend is not known. The latt
he sentence in the above letter, howevt
he indicates that the former suppositi
lcl- is the right one.
-, ~, Quotes Poetry.
lay Another thing that is taken as e
,ifi- dence that Mrs. Hill no longer car
zen for Chichester is these lines found
tri- the young mans notebook:
INV "Changeful women, constant nevs
I'M He's a fool that trusts her ever;
no All her love the winds doth blow
mi Like feather, to and fro"
the Underneath the poetry Chides
leir had written: Last night when "
and lying asleep these lines rang throu
to my ears. l actually got up and to
the such does of medicine that it put
sue to sleep all night"
ny Much Speculation.
lest The people of this city are divided
their opinion as to whether or
and young Chidester committed suici
the One person gives it as his firm be
neil that the dead man took his own
her and the next one is just as firm in
fes- belief that he did not. Aside from
ago, letters, which includes missives C
JUS; tanning endearing expressions to
Gus Hill, there is nothing to Indicate
+bo he wac tira5 of living