The Norfolk weekly news-journal., 1906-03-23
INQUEST FOROTIOTAPPERT
CORONER CAME FROM MEADOW
GROVE LAST NIGHT.
FUNERAL SUNDAY AFTERNOON
Mr.. Tappert Had Been In Standard oil
Service Longer Than Almost Any
Other Commercial Traveller - He
Prepared For Long Journey.

Prepared For Long Journey.
GFrom Fridays Daily.l
The coroner's jury summoned to hold
an inquest over the remains of Otto
f. Tappert, met in the Elk club rooms
last night and brought in a verdict
that Mr.. Tappert had come to his death
by taking carbolic acid with suicidal
intent. DR.. Kindred, the coroner ar
rived from his home at Meadow Grove
on the evening freight train and Sher-
in Clements summoned the jury i'm
mediately. The jurors were f. f.
Ware, II. w. Winter, e. e. Coleman,
Albert Degner, II. A. Pasewalk and
T.. N. Vail.
Mr.. Tappert's funeral will be held
from Trinity Episcopal church Sunday
afternoon at o'clock, Rev. j. G. S.
Wells conducting the service.
A Pioneer Commercial Traveller.
Mr. Tappert was a veteran among
the commercial travellers of northern
Nebraska, having made his home in
Norfolk for the last sixteen years For
thirty-five years he had labored in the
interests of the Standard Oil company,
having gone into their service when
he was eighteen years of age and be-
ing fifty-three at the time of his death.
For years he staged it through the
frontier selling oil, and his reminis-
cences of the early days in this terri.
tory as drummer were interesting to
a degree. He began travelling out of
Des Moines, and was at that time a
personal friend Of Mr.. Drake of New
York, one of the head men of the COM
pany.
| 1t Is evident that he had been con-
templating his action for some months,
letters having been left which bore va
rious dates, ranging from day to
nearly two months. One of the let
ters was written to Burt Mapes under
date of February 81, Mr.. Mapes being
exalted ruler of the Elks lodge in
| Norfolk. This note was folded over
and showed signs of having been car
ried about in Mr.. Tappert's pocket for
days, the ink being rubbed about on
the paper.
CIcdneu up HIS DESK.
A number of other letters were left
by Mr. Tappert for his friends in Nor
| folk. These, for the most part, were
written by him in his own home
Wednesday afternoon and having fin
| ished his task he quietly cleaned up
his desk as though he were going away
for long journey and wanted to leave
| it in the neatest of order
After leaving home yesterday morn
ing at o'clock, presumably for the
purpose of taking an early freight train
to Sioux City, Mr.. Tappert is thought
to have gone to the hall above the
Elks club rooms and to have remained
| there until noon, when the porter left
| for lunch. And during the noon lunch
| hour it Is believed that Mr.. Tappert
all alone in the club room, first sat
down at the desk and wrote, in the
| firmest, steadieSt sort of hand,
most beautiful little note of farewell
to Mrs. Tappert, and then calmly went
into the tiny paraphernalia room of
the club, to which he was the orly
member holding a key, and there, af-
ter making comfortable bed, with
blanket for a pillow upon which to
rest his head, lay down among the in
| itiatory apparatus that he had so jeal-
ously guarded as his own charge for
the past six years, and fell into his
last, long slumber.
His insurance.
Friends of Mr.. and Mrs. Tappert
will be glad to learn that he was pret-
ty well insured, carrying $4,000 of fra
ternal protection which will come to
the family. He was a member CT the
Royal Highlanders. the Woodmen of
the World and the Ancient Order of
United Workmen. Members of the
orders to which he belonged will indi-
vidually attend the services at the
church. but not in bodies as lodge Or
ganizations.
Friends and Relatives Come.
Mrs. Bernard, sister of Mr.. Tappert,
and her daughter, Mrs. O'Toole, ar
rived from Omaha at noon, as did also
Julius Tappert, brother from Daven-
port, Iowa. A sister from Denver may
arrive tomorrow. Other relatives who
have not as yet been heard from, are
expected later
Born in Germany.
Mr. Tappert was born in Germany
and came to this country when he was
fourteen years of age. He was mar
ried in Burlington, Iowa, June 81, 1883,
to Miss Emma ]. Mesmer. They re-
mained there two years and then came
to Norfolk.
Mr. Tappert was one of the very old.
est commercial travellers for the Stan
dard Oil company in America, and was
probably the oldest one in the Norfolk
territory.
Universally very popular, he had as
few enemies probably as any man liv.
ing. Almost too good hearted for his
90, L., I'LL I