Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1904-05-09
SUICIDES BY HANGING
Levi Osgood, Farmer of Timber
Creek Township, Takes His
Life Sunday Morning
HANGED HIMSELF WITH TOWEL
Act Supposed to Have Been Due to His
Mental Condition = Had Been of I'm
sound Mind For Several Years -
Coroner Investigates and HOLDS Post
Mortem Examination.

= Mor8em Examlnd1tohs
Either dreading all operation which
he was to undergo Sunday or else con-
trolled by the irnagi nations of an un-
sound mind, Levi Ossfood, a we'll known
farmer of Timber Creek township. COM
! mitted suicide by hanging, at his home
four and one-half miles southwest oil
the city at an early hour Sunday
morning. He was N Used from his bed
/ by his wife, a search was started, and
his dead body was found hanging, limp
outside the Kitchen door.
The first intimation that tina family
had that something had occurred was
when the alarm was given by Mrs. Os-
good, who missed her husband from his
bed about 1880 o'clock. She called her
son. Justus. who, upon lighting lam
tern. went to the rear door, and within
the circle of dim light saw the body
hanging. Rushing to 1t, he cut the
towel and brought the body inside. Life
was then extinct, although the body
was not entirely cold. Mr.. Csgood IN
arising, had evidently gone to the kit
chen, secured long roller towel, loop
ed an end of it over small branch,
stood on box. thrust his head thru
the other end of the towel, in which he
made slip moose. and kicked the box
from under his feet. The fall could not
have been over foot, and his feet came
very close to touching the ground. His
wife saw him, apparently fast asleep,
about midnight.
Was Of Ursound Mind.
From the members of the family, It
was learned that Mr.. osgood for the
past Ave or six years, had been mental
iy unbalanced. The trouble wsls thought
to originally been caused by an attack
Of grippe. At times he was violent and
had to be forcihly restrained from
breaking the furniture. During the
times when he was most violent he was
extremely Difficult. to control, and al
though of ample means he seemed to be
aboring under the Authorization that
the property should all be sold; that
he was becoming straitened In cir
cumstances, and that ne feared he
would be bankrupt unless the property
was disposed OF. During other times
he was quite rational and was CONF
paratively easy t., manage. During the
years OF his arrangement he. had done
but little work only helping about the
chores, and the management of the
farm was in the hands OF Mrs. os-
good.
Was to Have Eleen Operated Upon.
MIR. Osgood was to have undergone
an operation Sund for hyernia, and to
prepare for it a nurse had been secured
and arrangements made. He was given
"a bath Saturday evening and change
of underclothins WAS placed on him.
He made no objection to the prepara-
ton and gave out no indications that
led the family to believe that he dread
ed 1t.
Inquest and Port Mortem Held.
County Coroner II. Fl. Nichols and
County Attorne, f. E. Northup visited
the residence early Sunday morning
and after investigating the circum-
stances deemed it advisable to hold an
inquest. A jury composed of j. G.
Weatherby. James Lamb and Harry j.
Rodgers was slbpoenaed and the in
vestigation was held at the Osgood
home Sunday afternoon. After examin-
ing the members OF the family, the
hired man and DR.. NJ. u. Chesire. who
had examined the body, the jury was
net satisfied with the finding and der
ci,led to withhold verdict until a post
mortem examination had been held.
The jury will meet this evening.
This action was taken, not that any
members of the family are suspected.
but to comply with the requirements OF
THE law, and ts, thoroughly satisfy the
n,eighbors and the public. Members of
the family testified that the relations
between the father and the household
had been plea SAINT. excepting that at
s,ich times as lie would become violent.
He seemed to have disIiking for his
wife. and refused to take his meals at
the same table with her. During times
when he was at his worst the sons
would be compelled to hold him, but
at other times he was Ieaceable and
IHi1llly aHalTS moved along without
friction All evidence drawn from the
relatives tended to show that the fam
lily relations Were about the same as
they would be in the average family of
grown up children under like circum-
stances. Principally on the testimony
of, the coroner and DIR. Chesire it was
deemed advisable to hold post NOR
tenn examination. They testified that
the evidences of death were not at all
like those us aaily encountered where
death had resulted from hanging. The
signs of strangulatlon were absent, and
the neck was not dislocated
When proposed that a post norton
should be held the family objected seri-
ously. Osgooti was man of considera-
bic means, owning two good farms of
about 400 or 500 acres. unencumbered.
Mr.. Osgood was born in Coos coun-
Iy, New Hampshire, on June %, 1884.
He came west when years of age, To-
eating with his parents in Knox county,
Illinois. He was married in 1862 to
Miss Ruth yVallick. of Knoxville, H.,
snd moved with his family to this
,plInty In 1882 settling on the farm