Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1904-11-05
Former Resident of Timber
Creek Township Suicides
by Asphyxiation
LETTER LEADS TO IDENTITY
On the Young Mans Clothes Was
Found Letter Written Him by J. C..
tioIIingsworth, ST this City, Who is
Photographed News Of Death-Body
Will be Brought Here for Interment

~ telegram received Dy y. y. Iioi
lingsworth, q real estate man, over loo
East Main street, Friday afternoon,
announced the death Of "Dolph" Hard
ing. a we'll known young man of Tim
Der Creek township, son OF the late
Richard Harding. at one time II prom
inent resident of the Dillon neighbor-
hood. Telephone communication la
ter with Omaha revealed the fact that
Hardings death was due to suicide by
asphyxiation.
The telegram received by Mr.. Hol-
lingsworth was signed by Bradley d.
Dorrance, which afterwards developed
to he the undertaking Arm having the
body in charge. Mr.. Hollingsworth
was informed by telephone that Har-
ding, had taken a room at a hotel, torn
up his shirt and other articles OF wear
ing apparel, carefully stuffed them into
all 'crevices of the doors and windows.
and turned on the gas. He was dead
when found Friday morning. No
cause could be given by the undertake
ing firm as to the cause of the act, and
Harding's identity was only establish
ed, as far as former residence was con-
cerned, by letter that was found on
his person. written by Mr.. Hollings-
worth. Mr.. Hollingsworth and Mr..
Harding were old friends and former
neighbors in Timber Creek. They had
kept up a correspondence since Mr..
= pt t,,sr 1aft 1,nr 10 ~ An
gust. Mr.. Hollingsworth was shocked
when he learned news of his. friends
death, and could not have been more
bereaved had the death been that of a
near relatives as he thought much Of
the young man.
Family Well Known.
The Harding family was well known
in Timber Greek township, ana
"Dolph" Harding had many friends in
this city. He was % years of age and
unmarried. A year ago last August
he went to Portland, having in his
possession at that time $500, partly
money he had earned, and partly mon
ey left him when his fathers estate
was settled, Mir. Hollingsworth was
not aware that Mr.. Harding had left
Portland, near which city reside two
brothers and sister. Mr.. Hollings-
worth says that he can not see why
Harding should have ended his life, for
he was of a happy disposition and SO
far as he has known in good health.
He WAS a man Of good habits, steady
and Industrious. The word from Oma-
ha shows him to have been without
money when the body was found, the
sum of 20 cents being all that was dis
covered in his clothing.
Richard Harding. father of the
young man, diel three years ago last
March at the cd Harding homestead,
where young Harding had lived for
twenty-four years. Since his fathers
death the young man was in this city
most Of the time, until he left for Port
land. Mrs. Harding, Richard Harding's
widow and stepmother Of "Dolph"
Harding, now resides at Malcolm, and
arrived in the city this morning, In
response to the telegram announcing
the death. VIII lam Harding, broth
err, lives at T,.outdale, Ore, little
town seventeen miles distant from
Portland. John Harding, another
brother resides near Portland, as
does also sister, Mrs. William Sharp.
Another married sister lives in NAL
com and another in Missouri.
Body Will be Brought Here.
Harding's body will be brought to
this city from Omaha, and interment
will take place in the Timber Creek
beside that of the young
mans father. The coroner's inquest
was held at Omaha today
Further Particulars.
Further particulars were received
this afternoon by the Times-Republi-
can from Omaha. Harding had reg
istered at the Dodge Hotel as III.
Huber, Denver" and was assigned to
room SO. In the morning he was dis
covered to be unconscious as the re-
suit of the gas poisoning, and was
to the Clarkson hospital,
where he later died. He had torn his
shirt into shreds, and stuffed the key
hole and window crevices tightly with
the cloth. The Undertaking was
found to be marked I'D. H." and in his
suit case was found the letter to I'd.
Harding" from Mr.. Holltngsworth.