Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1904-01-19
COMMITTED SUICIDE.
Bought Chloroform. Aconite and Paris
Green TO Do the jon.

Saturday L. II. Cook, of Unity, came
to Wausau and informed the sheriff and
district attorney of the death of Chas.
| F. Stringham, who resided in the town
of Eau Pieine, and there being an air of
mystery surrounding the case as stated
by Mr.. Cook, the officers at once went
over to make an investigation. Mr.
Stringham was found breathing heavily
on Wednesday morning, and a physi-
clan summoned, DR.. VAIL, of Stratford,
found that the man was suffering from
the effects of some drug and efforts at
revivifying proved fetile At about
eight o'clock Wednesday night the
man died.
There were some things connected
with the case which did not satisfy
neighbors and they therefore engaged
Mr. Cook to come to Wausau and state
| their fears. Stringham was an old
gentleman we'll liked by everybody but
had a son, Edward, that from all ac-
counts is a pretty small potato. A
short time ago, it is alleged the son
went to Marshfield and made an attempt
| to have his father committed to the
| home for the feeble minded at Chippewa
Falls, wishing that he could get rid of
the old cuss =" The old man had $500
| deposited in a bank of Oshkosh and
about $500 in bank at MarshfieId, be-
sides about S75 that be kept in the
house. Immediately after the old mans
death the young man is said to have
contiscated the latter amount and to
have then departed post haste for
Marshfield in an endeavor to draw the
money the old gentleman had deposited
in the bank there The only effort it
is said he made toward providing for
the burial of his father was when at
Marshtield he asked members of the
local q. A. R. Post if that organization
wouldn't bury the old man He then
returned home and it is said paid no
further attention to the disposition of
the corpse of his father, and brother
in-law had to assume the duties which
should righlfully have devolved upon
this son. These facts aroused the sus-
picion of neighbors, who thought per-
haps that the dose of poison that killed
the old gentleman might not have been
self administered.
The officers after getting off the train
at Mcmillan, went right to the home
which is located on farm three and
one half miles west and south of March
Rapids. The son and family live in
log house, while the old man occupied
frame apartments built on to this
After stating their mission the officers
at once went to work in an examination
of the old mans effects. In an old
trunk, containing deceased's personal
effects they found two letters which,
are here reproduced with few correc-
lions in spelling Both were dated at
March Rapids The first was evidently
intended as a will and reads as follows
MARCH, Nov. 10, 1903
| am not well and am liable to pass
away ut any time, and what money l
have got l want you to have, eXcepl
that 500 certificate on Oshkosh bank,
| want Bessie and Ray each to have
$lu0, aud want them To put il in thu
bank and keep it for themselves
CHAS. Z. STRINGHAM
When | am gone this is good
PAPA.
On Nov. ~, two days later, the off
GERS learned that be went to the drug
store of II L. Ramps at Marshfieid and
asked for four ounces of morphine. |
The druggist informed him that such |
an amount would cost him $50. This
discouraged him from making the pur
chase but later he returned and bought
an ounce of tincture of aconite one of the
deadliest of poisons He stated at the
time that he wanted it for his daughter
Mrs. Vine, but he had no daughter by
that name. Two weeks and halflater
he sat down and penned the following
letter which shows that he contemplated
suicide at that time but for some reason
failed to carry out his intentions
MARCH. Nov. so, 1908
To Ed
Ed, when | was out to Marsh
field while ago | got one ounce of
aconite aud / am going to take it to-
night. am tired of life and | want
To die aud h. buried along side of my
dear wife Now, Ed, be sure and keep
this no'e to show that no one is to
blame for this act but me.
c. +. STRINGHAM
Good bye, all.
Last Tuesday he drove to Colby and
visiting the drug store of w e. Atwell
purchased four ounce bottle of chloro-
form. not of the kind, however, used
f, an anaesthetic. This bottle, abont
half emptied, was found under his pill
low. A further search of the room re-
vealed the aconite bottle hidden in the
wood box Ia cracker box, where he
kept some other things, were two quar-
ter pound boxes of paris green lately
purchased but which had not been
opened. From inquiry it developed
that the old man had been respondent
for some time which fact together with
the finding of the letters and from a
visit to the two druggists of which he
purchased the poisons, the officers con-
sidered it plain case of suicide and
deemed an inquest unnecessary.
Mr.. Stringham was about sixty-two
years, a veteran of the Civil war and
formerly lived in Oshkosh. His wife
died some years ago, which fact to-
gether with troubles with his son caused
him to take his life He owned the
farm on which his SON lives and was
industrious and saving aud a good
neighbor He was buried yesterday
ONE YEAR IN WAUPUN.
fred Kroes. who several weeks ago