The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1905-09-01
LOOKS LIKE SUICIDE
A. J. Hoover browns In Budd
Lake, Fairmont.

On Saturday afternoon about three
O'Clock a stranger hired row boat
from Mase Ashton at the boat livery
! for row on the lakes, says The Fair
mont Sentinel. Hours passed and he did
not return. Sunday morning Mr.. Ash
ton made search and found the boat
containing the mans coat drifted up on
the west shore of Budd lake. At an
other point black derby hat was found
where it had been carried to shore by
the waves.
The missing man is A. j. Hoover of
Des Moines, Iowa. He is a solicitor for
the Security Mutual Life Insurance
company of Binghampton, New York,
and has transacted considerable business
III Fairmont the past few weeks. He
was at the Heidel for dinner on Sat
urday and in settling his bill he re-
marked that he had better pay up for
he was going away to be gone long
time.
Hoover has been at Winnebago for
the past month with his wife and his
working partner, H. E. Harvey of Man
kato, who is quite well known here.
| These parties were notified of his dis
appearance and Mr. Harvey accompani-
ed by Mr. Rich, father of Hoover's wife,
came to the city Monday morning. At
| ter an inquiry into all the circumstances
| they are convinced that Hoover's body
is in the lake.
| Messrs. Rich and Harvey firmly be-
lieve that the man met an accidental
death. They say that his domestic
and business affairs are unexceptionable
and that there is absolutely no reason
why he should want to die or disap-
pear. On the other hand Mr.. Ashton is
equally certain that man could not
fall from the boat he rented Hoover
without upsetting the craft or at least
causing it to take large amount OF
|
when found, the oars, were in their
places and the mans coat, with letters
notes and other papers in the pocket
was carefully folded up on the seat. The
lake was very rough with heavy
southeast wind Saturday night.
There are several circumstances in
the case which indicate suicide. Hoover
stated that he was going to Winnebago
on the 1854 train and at 3:l5 hired the
boat to row to Budd lake from whence
he could not possibly return by train
time. Several people saw Hoover
among them Mr.. Ashton, and state that
his actions were peculiar and that he
appeared downhearted and respondent
Lieutenant Burdick was rowing on
Budd lake about 5:45 o'clock and pass
J ed close to Hoover. Ten minutes later
he looked to see where he was as an in
describable something about the mans
appearance had attracted his attention.
| Dut COulu see Vi eltHtI vi
boat. When last seen by Burdia.2 the
man was well out in the lake straight
out from the boat landing.
Hoover is said to have had $75 in
money on his person. He is about thir-
ty years of age.
Body Found on the Shore.
The dead body of Hoover was found
this morning on the west shore of Budd
lake at about the same place where
the boat was discovered yesterday
morning. The coroner did not hold an
inquest. Opinion in Fairmont is some
what divided as to whether Hoover
committed suicide or his drowning was
the result of an accident The father
and father-in-law of the dead man
reached Fairmont this morning and they
were of the opinion that Hoover acct
dentally fell from the boat. The re-
mains were shipped from Eldora Iowa,
where Hoover resided
Hoover appeared to be downcast on
Saturday and from some of the remarks