Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1904-12-07
William Wenkstein, Aged Veter-
an, Commits Suicide In Third
Avenue Rooming House
CAUSE FOR ACT NOT KNOWN
His Body Found in Half Sitting Pos
ture on the Edge of His Bed. Held
by a Rope Fastened Around the
Neck, Which Was Caught Over the
Bedpost-lnquest viii be Hold

Half reclining and half sitting on the
edge of the bed, held in that posi'io''
by \ rope which was noosed ABOUT ene
neck and fastened to the bed post the
dead body of William Wenksteln.
former member of the Soldiers Rome
was discovered this morning IN room
in the Reusch lodging house, corner OF
Third avenue and Nevada streets.
How long the man had been in that
pos ition is not known, altho Judging
from the appearance of the body it had
been several hours. Wenkstein was
last seen Tuesday morning. No cause
is known why he should have COM
mitted suicide.
The dead man was discovered by
William Brocknan, who occupied the
room next to the one in which Wenk-
stein was found. With a friend Brock
man passed Wenksteins door about
$3.50 o'clock this morning. and thru
the partly closed opening saw the man
apparently sitting on the edge Of the
bed, as tho putting on his shoes. A
short time afterwards Brockman again
passed the door, when his companion
called his attention to the mans pecu-
liar attitude. They then entered the
room and upon examination Of the
body found it cold and stiff. Help was
called and the rope cut, altho the
corpse was allowed to remain where It
was until the officers and coroner ar
rived.
Cause 10 Lacking.
so Tar as can be learned from those
who knew Wenkstein no cause can be
assigned for the deed. A search thru
the room. and among the personal
effects OF Wenkstein, which were pack
ed neatly in a grip. revealed nothing.
The man had removed his coat and
shoes. and had tied around his neck
underneath the rope q red cotton
handkerchief. From the position in
which the body was found it would
Indicate that he had looped the rope
around his neck, then fastened the
other end to the top OF the bed post.
ana sat down. The neck was not
broken. and he must have died slowly
from strangulation.
Intended Returning to the Home.
Wenkstein has been In the CITY about
month, and has been living during
that time in the room where he died.
He loafed about the A. Barry saloon n
great deal. and while he drank some.
he Is said to have been sober when
last seen alive. To one Of the bar
keepers Of the place. with whom he
talked Tuesday morning. wenkstein
said he was going out to the Home and
try and be readmitted. When he was
not seen about during the day 1t was
thought that was where he had gone,
inquest Will Be Held.
AS soon as the body was found
Coroner II. II. Nichols was notified,
| and after inqniring into the circum-
stances ordered an inquest. It will
take place this afternoon at o'clock
at the South Third avenue police sta
ton. A Jury composed Of James Mans
field. Fred Ring. and Harry ]. Rogers
was tWpaneled. The body Of the dead
man was removed to Wilbur & Sons,
to await the disposition Of relatives.
Record Of Ills Service.
Wenkstein was seventy five years of
age, and was admitted to the Home
lIoiIl EIAhPOIl, Way lOI COuIlly, 1850.
He was member of Company I, Sixth
United States cavalry, having enlisted
in Rochester, N. Y, August Is, 1861.
He was discharged August rs, 1884, at
Harper's Ferry. The record OF his adj
mission shows him to be a single man
and the only record Of any relative, fur
nished the management Of the institu-
tion, is that Of a brother, Henry wenk-
stein, living at Elkport. Wenkstein
has not been a member of the Home
since April 80, 1904, when he took u
discharge. He had been absent with
out leave, and Commandant Horton,
for violating the rule, sentenced him
to short term of confinement to the
grounds. Rather than accept the SEN
rence Wenkstein took a discharge.