The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-11-02
KANSAS NEWS.
Sidney L. Platt, Writer and
Traveller, a Suicide.
Takes an Unusual Course in
Ending His Life.
WRITES HIS REASONS.
Article Entitled: I" Has a Man a
Right to Take His Life?"
Left Manuscript at the Atchi-
son Globe Office.

Atchison. Kas., Nov. 2.-There is rea-
son to believe that the old man who
was found dead in the home of w. w.
Lewis. four miles southeast of Atchi-
son. SATURDAY.. was Sidney L. Platt, of
Muscotah. this county. a scholar and
extensive traveller. Late Friday the old
man appeared at the Lewis home and
asked permission to stay over night.
At noon, October 80, Sidney L. Platt
appeared at the Atchison Globe office
and left a package addressed to an
employee. The package contained the
manuscript of a book Mr.. Platt had
written. He also left an article en-
titled, Has Man Right to Take
His Life?" and a personal letter IN
which he asked the person addressed
to take care of his manuscript ana see
that it found publisher. portion OF
the letter follows:
AT this writing I am contemplating
suicide, an opportunity for which l
have been on the lookout for three
years. beg of you as special favor
to protect my memory by publishing
my poetical farewell, which l write on
this paper I also send an article for
magazine in which L try to show that
under such conditions as mine, an old
man has a Christian right to shorten
the term of his sufferings."
Shortly after the package was left at
the Globe office a man answering Mr..
Platt's description walked across the
bridge into Missouri and took dinner
with farmer named Cyrus Ellis In
the evening the same man appeared at
the Lewis home and was found dead in
bed Saturday. There was nothing in
the pockets of the dead mans clothes
by which he could be identified ex-
ceDt a note written in ink and signed
Tom Corum." The note said the
writer was not afraid to die. and want
70 hka I'm "a 1a,. from
st. Joseph could find no evidence of
poison in the stomach.
When the stranger appeared
Lewis home he said he was a great
traveller; that he had daughters in both
Horton and Topeka, and that he was
an Englishman. all of which were true
of Sidney L. Platt. The age, beard and
cap of the dead man tallies with that
old
The body is held at the Lewis home
awaiting identification. Sidney L. Platt
was wealthy in his younger days and
had travelled all over the world. His
home had been at Muscotah thirty-five
years His daughter there is named
Mrs. Henry 7. Viles. His daughter in
Topeka is Mrs. Jaynes, of S16 East
Eighth street. a1
SIDNEY L. PIAATT IDENTIFIED.
Atchison. Kas.. Nov. 2.-The body of
the man who died at the home of W.
W. Lewis near Sugar Lake Friday
night was that of Sidney L. Platt, the
scholar and traveller of Muscotah. The
body was identified this morning by
George w. Carpenter, of Horton, SON
in-law of the dead man. So far as is
known here. the question of whether
Mr.. Platt committed suicide has not
been Settled. The fact that he left a
note at the Atchison Globe office Fri
day noon saying he was contemplating
suicide gave rise to the theory that his
death was self-inficted. If he COM
mitted suicide it was so skillfully done
that the coroner could not discover the
method employed. The body was taken
to Horton. where it will be inferred.