Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1903-07-22
j. ". BIERER SUICIDES.
Huns Himself In Shed On his Farm ON
Tuesday Of Last Week.

H0u$ uAMS0u IN q OuCO " ntS arm VA
Tuesday Of Last Week.
Just after the Index was taken on
the press on Tuesday Of last week the
horrlfying news was brought to town
that j. w. Bierer had committed sui
side At his ranch In Elm Mills town.
ship little before noon. On account
Of the fact that the neighbors were ALI
. considerable distance from home
the news of the tragedy did not get to
Medicine Lodge until half past three
IN the afternoon. MIR. Blerer ac-
complished his death BY tying a rope
around his neck aid fssitDirg il
to brace in his wagon shed. He
mounted barrel and kicked 1t over.
but he was so near to the ground that
he held his feet up in order to end his
life. During the forenoon while walk
ing about the premises with his wife
he saw piece Of rope on the ground
and he remarked that he believed be-
would use 1t. Mrs. Bierer told him not
to think Of such thing and be promis-
cd he wouldn't. They parted shortly
afterwards-he going about his work
at the barn and she to the house.
A half hour afterward Mrs. Bierer sent :
the little boy out to see what his father
was doing and he came back and re-
ported that his papa twas standing
there with q rope around lis neck"
Mrs Bierer rushed out and united the
rope and tried to revive him but with
out success When she reached him life
was not quite gone but too far to be re-
vived. Mrs. Bierer sent the boy to
neighbors for assistance but no one
got there until after IL O'Clock.
The news was brought to town by
Dan Axtell. Sheriff Haun. County
Attorney Tincher, Coroner Moore and
| w. s. Rubert hastened to the scene as,
once and arrived at about Ave o'clock
When they learned the facts they de-
cided that an inquest was not necessary
and Undertaken Williams prepared the
body for burial.
For more than q month Mr.. Bierer's,
mind has been noticeable affected. He
realized that he was undergoing q
mental arrangement and he told many
of his friends In Medicine Lodge that
to him It seemed either death or
insanity. He talked Of death much and
in his family worship prayed that ha>
might die. He worried much abOpa
his aff1iction and seemed to be in cor -
slant fear that he might become violes..-
aud injure his family or bis friends
Tod 20
His stock and ranch had not prospsred
during the past year, his brothers own
ed the ranch and he had to ask them
for assistance His folks are all
wealthy and he was not doing 80 we'll
although he was not IN bad circum.
stances--but it worried HIM neverthe-
less. Another thing that probably
FASTENED him to suicide was the fact
that Mrs. Bierer had told him that she
was going to take him to a sanitarium
for treatment on Thursday. He
abhorred the asylum and it is thought
that this is what caused him to take
his life when he did.
The remains were sent to Hiawatha.
his former home, on Wednesday. Mrs
Bierer and her two sisters, Mrs. Nc.
Pherson and Mrs. Solomon. OF Wichita
who arrived on Tuesday night in re-
SpOnSe 20 message, went In cnargo or
the body. They were joined at Wichita
by the deceased's brothers, Judge A.
, G. G. Bierer. of Guthrie. Ok, E
Bierer. b. B. Bierer and s. Bierer, and
his brother-in-law. j. L. Shaded. all of
Hlawatha. His father also survives
, him and resides at Hiawatha.
The Bierer ranch was owned by his
brothers and at his suggestion IL was
. offered for sale in the spring. His
I brothers were willing to furnish HIN
money to conduct the ranch or To buy
another elsewhere but itdid not seem
to relieve him. They were aware OF
: his condition and did all they could to
restore his reason. Two OF his brother ,
and his brother in.law were here re-
Gently dong what they could to cheer
Q him up.
Mr.. Bierer and family came to Bar
ber county and took charge Of the
ranch ten miles north OF this city
about five years ago. They soon won
the confidence and friendship Of their
e neighbors and also many Medicine
:, Lodge people. He was man of fine
, physique, nearly six feet tall, and unit:
this spring. seemed to enjoy life. His
changed appearance this spring, how
S ever. was everybody's remark when
a ever he came to town.
They have only one child-a boy
about seven years of age.