The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-03-06
He HANGED HIMSELF.
s. A. Ribelin, of Topeka, In
yestigates Death of Relative.

Kansas City, March 6.-Ar. and Mrs.
S a. Ribelin of Topeka, Kan, arrived
IN Kansas City last night from Benton
vile, Ark, where they went to investi-
gate the death of S, A. Perkins. the old
man who was found hanging from a
tree near his cabin, in the mountains Of
Arkansas. Mr.. Perkins was the son-in-
law of J. H. Langdon of 1888 MERCER
street, this city. Perkins wife. former
" Miss Marguerite Langdon, left her
home in company with William Powell
and driving to Rogers, Ark. left the
team in a livery stable and took Fris-
co train for the south. Before leaving
Mrs. Perkins left note on the table
IN her home, stating that she had gone
with the man she loved.
Mr.. Rlbelin. when seen by reporter
last night, said that he was convinced
from his investigation that Mr.. Perkins
had committed suicide. and said he be-
Iieved he did SO after reading the note
that his wife had written him before
leaving her home. He said.
When we got to Bentonvil1e we hired
a buggy, and in company with the dep
uty sheriff and undersheriff drove out
to the scene. But there was nothing for
US to see except the place where Mr..
Perkins was found. The spot was a
lonely one. several hundred rods from
his cabin The limb over which the rope
had been thrown projected from a small
oak tree, perhaps six inches in diameter.
A larger tree at an earlier day had been
cut down by Mr.. Perkins, and the fall
ing limbs had bent the smaller tree into
a semi-eirele. and it was to this that the
rope was fastened He had on his work
ing clothes-his overalls. From what we
could see, I believe he climbed to the top
of the tree, fastened the rope about his
neck, not in a slip knot, but in a hard
knot and jumped. His neck must-have
been broken by the fall for there is not
a sign anywhere that ne made a move
after he fell. Physicians living at Ben
tonville who saw the body say that he
could not have been dead more than four
or five days before he was found.
Two hunters passing through the
woods near the Perkins home found
the body, stiff and rigid, hanging there
and with the faithful old dog keeping
watch over his master. They went to
town and told of what they had seen
and then returned to the spot, built a
big bonfire and spent the night by the
side of the body. The next day the
farmers of the neighb0rhood began
gathering, justice of the peace came
and the inquest was held. Under the
laws of Arkansas justice of the
peace may hold an inquest. They look
ed at the man. made a slight examina-
ton and rendered verdict to the eff
feet that he had come to his death BY
an unknown hand.
I'm falling" Mr.. Rivelin continued,
Perkins struck against a number Of
the stubs and limbs which had been
cut from the larger trees and bruised
his head.
These were the only marks on him.
When the hunters found him he was in
sitting posture. with his body but a
few inches from the ground He had
evidently died almost instantly. The
knot on the end of the rope had bruised
his head and worn the skin off from q
small place at the base Of his ear. but
/ otherwise, he was not dishgured.
Inside Of the house. we could find
nothing new. Mr. Perkins had Just be-
/ gun the erection of new home. He
+ had built the foundation and hewed a
/ lot of lumber to be used He and Pow
ell, the man who ran awav with his
wife, had been working for weeks on Il.
A bank book was found which showed
that he had money deposited in the Ar
mourdale State Bank of Commerce. He
/ had been checking on this and the
amount he still retained there is NOT
known. We made an effort to get the