The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1904-05-06
Frank Rothschenk, Weary Of World,
Commits Suicide This Morning.
He Was Kind Husband, But Suffer
ed a Mental Weakness.
Had Bees in the Employ of Fowler &
Pay for Some Months.
Left a Note Saying Wife Could Have
All His Property.
From Wednesdays Daily.


AS Mrs. Joseph Ruder glanced upward
Mt the high hill to the rear of her home
1916 North Fourth street this morning
about 1920 o'clock, shocking sight met
her eyes, Near the top of the high hill
on Joseph Schingerman's property, for
merly part of the Catholic burying
ground, she perceived what seemed to be
the body of man, swinging from tree
She called her daughter, who conveyed
the news to Mrs. Matt Peters, neigh
Dor. ALI looked up at the strange sight
and were inclined to believe joke had
been played, and that a stuffed figure had
been hung from the tree for the purpose
of creating a sensation. Nevertheless,
Mrs. Peters sent girl to tell Mr..
Schlingerman. The latter climbed the
hill and in a few minutes came back
with the astonishing news that the
strange figure was the body of Frank
Rothschenk, an intimate neighbor.
The news spread like wild fire. Mrs,
Schlingerman communicated the news to
the police by telephone. Coroner Ken
nedy was informed. A crowd began to
gather round the base of the tree, peo-
pie coming from all over the main part
of the city to see the gruesome sight.
The corpse hung from a stout limb
of large oak tree. There were plenty
of limbs, whereby man could easily
have climbed. The doubled clothes line,
whereby the life had been cut off, was
attached to q limb about sixteen feet
from the ground. The face bore the in
disputable stamp of death. Nobody dis
scented from the general opinion that it
was a suicide.
The dead man was clothed like la
borer. He had on blue overalls and a
rough brown and red coat. There were
shoes on the feet but no hat on the head
August Langhoff about nine o'clock
stepped into the home of the dead man.
at 1926 North Fourth street, and found
Mrs. Rothchenk in the kitchen. Mrs
Rothschenk remarked that she had not
seen her husband that morning. She
was crying and seemed to know that
something was wrong. Mr.. Langhofi
supposed she knew that her husband was
dead ''They found him up on the HILL
he said. Mrs. Rothschenk was surprised
Mr.. Langhoff was obliged to tell her that
tree Mrs. Rothschenk broke down and
fell to the floor.
Ladies of the neighborhood came in
to take care of and comfort her, but
she was well-nigh Frustrated by the
shock. AS soon as she was able to talk
Mrs. Rotschenk told the circumstances
of her last parting from her husband. 1t
was about two thirty o'clock this morn
ing when he arose and left his bed room
She waited for him to return and fell
asleep. An hour later she awoke and
finding him still gone, looked at the
clock. Full of alarm, she hastily dressed
and went to the home of Mrs. Charles
Peterson. She could find no trace of her
husband. The Peterson family had seen
nothing of him. By and by she return
ed to her own home, thinking she might
find him there, but he was still gone. She
now gave up searching and decided to
wait until daylight.
Mrs. Rothschenk is at loss to ac-
count for her husbands apparent suicide,
except on the theory that he was men
tally deranged. He had spells of strange
acting from time to time, especially
when his general health was not good
Nevertheless, he was as kind and loving
husband as any woman could wish for.
He was hard worker. His habits were
excellent. Such is the universal testi-
mony of Ill who knew him.
The man was employed by Fowler &
Pay at shoveling lime for more than a
month past This extremely hot work
was hard on his health, and he often
came home tired and ILL., His mental
weakness made him irritable and he oft
en- complained that the other working
men teased him.
Last Friday morning he acted strange
Iy. He was suspicious of everybody
around him. and scOlded his wife in
the morning about this and that trivial
matter, such as keeping the door clos
ed between the kitchen and dining room.
This spell passed off, Yet he was gloomy
and Respondent and the other workers at
the lime sheds noticed that he scarcely
ever said word.
Yesterday he worked hard all day as
usual In the evening he came home
very tired, but ate hearty supper.
He then lay down to sleep.
Mr.. Rothschenk owned the house he
and his wife lived in, handsome white
brick dwelling, standing on lot and a
half ,The4 house is well furnished. The
garden had been dug up preparatory
to planting. Everything about the place
has a general air of neatness and thrift.
Mr.. Rothschenk often worked in his
garden after finishing his days work
for his employers.
Mrs. Rothschenk feels that she is left
well provided for. She says he left her
$1,000 insurance in the order of Modern
Woodmen.
The deceased was forty six. years old.
He was born in Germany, but came to