The Eureka sentinel. [volume] (Eureka, Nev.) 1902-current, 1902-02-15
SUICIDE OF F. R. WITTENBERG
he Prefers the Grave to a Life Of
Suffering.

From the San Jose, Cal, NJ eroury OF Feb. IL.
Discouraged and driven to desperation
because Of . long standing sickness with
which be had battled in vain to conquer.
Frank r. Wistenberg Of 80 North Eighth
street fred . bullet into his brain in st.
james Park yesterday afternoon, killing
himself almost instantly. A letter found
in his coat pocket showed that the deed had
been carefully planned. In the note be
| told Of his terrible suffering and that be
could stand it no longer. He spoke sffec-
tionstely of his wife and four children and
| desired that the news Of his death be broken
to them as gently as possible. He requested
that his remains be cremated. A number Of
| people were in the park at the time Of the
shooting and they hurried to the man, who
lay PROSTATE on q bench. When il was
| found that life was extinct the body was
taken to the Corouer's office where an in.
| quest was held last evening and . verdict
reached that he had come to his death by
his own hand.
- VICTIM Of ASTHMA.
Wittenberg had for many years been .
sufferer OF miners asthma. He came to
San Jose . year sgo last month from Eu-
reks, Nevsds. His wife and youngest
| child, Q girl, accompanied him. They re-
sided ct 30 North Eighth street, where
they had . modest but comfortable home.
At times Wittenberg suffered intensely,
but he bore up bravely and never once ap-
peared to lose hope. For awhile he treated
under San Francisco physicians, but Of late
be had been 8 patient of DIR. Wylsnd.
Yesterday afternoon Mrs. Wittenberg
asked her husband II he cared il she went
up town for . short time. He told her to
go and when she spoke Of stopping at the
doctors to get some medicine he said there
was no need for her to bother. He seemed
in good spirits and said he intended taking
. short walk.
SHOT THROUGH THE BRAIN.
1t was about 2:30 O'Clock that people who
happened in the vicinity OF ST. James Park
we're startled by the sharp report of q pistol.
From one of the benches near the park en-
trance at the corner of Third and st. James
streets q puff Of smoke WAS seen to rise i'm
mediately following the shot, and then as
the smoke cleared the form Of . man lean
ing forward on the ssttee could be discerned.
Several men hurried to the spot and
found Wittenberg gssping. Almost at the
same time DR.. Wsyland, whose house 10
close by, was at the mans side but the pa
sient was even then beyond human aid.
The pistol with which the deed had been
committed Icy on the bench close to the
mans right hand. The gun was an old
fashioned Colt six-shooter. which he had
carried for years. 10 contained four loaded
and one empty 44-caliber cartridge. The
muzzle of the pistol had been placed close
to the mans head directly over the right
ear. The rim OF his white Fedora hat had
been burned by the fash of powder. The
bullet made a jagged wound and apparently
imbedded itself in the skull after passing
through the brain.
LETTER.
following uraddressed letter carefully writ
ten in ink:
81 am a member in good standing of Bea.
tiic Lodge No. 7, K. of r, of Eureka, New;
also Alpha Lodge No. 1, A. o. U. W., of
Eureka, New, and am in a terrible nervous
condition and l can hardly get my breath. 1
am frantic and can exist no longer. My wife
and youngest daughter reside at No. 80 North
Eighth street. and three grown children in
Nevada. Please inform the lodges there.
My wish is that my remains be cremated.
God bless my dear ones.
F. R. wrTrENBERG.
please break this news as gently as posi-.
BILE to my wife"
MRS. wIrTENBERG's STORY.
Mrs. Wittenberg. in speaking Of her hus.
bands tragic end, said: "When I was told
Of my husbands death I thought he had
suffered an attack Of heart failure. His
San Francisco physician told me last De-
cember that he was likely 10 be carried off
unexpectedly any time, IS his heart action
was very weak.
"He never limited to me that he contem-
plated suicide and l do not believe he had
any idea Of taking his life mp to within .
very short time before the deed was com-
mittsd. He bore bis suffering with remark
able patience and was always hopeful that
be would recover. He suffered terribly At
times.
"He seemed in exceptionally good spirits
when l left him early in the afternoon to
go up town. He was good to me and the
children and they ell thought the world Of
him. There was nothing they would not
do for him. He had everything to live for.
He had no bad habits and was even loath