The Washington herald., 1906-11-22
HANGS SELF TO DOOR
John H. StrickhaPt Commits
Suicide.
SECRET KEPT BY HIS FRIEND
William MoxIey Declares He Knows
Why the Young Man Took His own
ReIatives-FOund at SupPer-time.
The Police Are Mystifed.

John Henry strickhart, Of 212 Delaware
avenue. committed suicide by hanging
yesterday afternoon Standing beside the
body. his friend. William M0xley sobbed
out words that only served 10 increase
Tie mystery surrounding the circumstan-
cos Of the deed.
why did you do it, Harry, why did you
do it. did not think you meant IT, he
cried
Then turning 10 the men who had gath
cred in the second-story room where the
young man had been found hanging from
the door hinge, Moxley said;
God and myself are the only ones who
know the motive for this and until / die
swear viii never tell"
No persuasion on the part Of mutual
friends cf the two young men could in
dGce the youth to disclose the secret
At o'clock yesterday morning Strick-
hart, Who was employed as air-brake in
speCtOr on the Baltimore and Ohio Rail
road. entered the house owned by John
p. Smith. with whom he boards Ap-
pareEtly he was in the best OF spirits, and
had CHEEKY words for everybody. He ate
breakfast with several men in the house.
all Of whom say that he seemed parucu-
larry happy. even for a man Of his sunny
disposition. Moxley had been with him
shortly before he returned home, and to-
gether they had taken "a drink.
Found at Supper-time.
Miss Dora Corbley went TO his room and
4 d e 90
ceived no response.
Entering the room. she felt a heavy
body against the door and, anticipating
some trouble. called Walter Anderson, a
bCarder in the house.
after Anderson had lighted the gas he
caught sight Of his friend hanging with
his body almost on a sitting posture on
the floor. Strickhart had used a window
rope taken from his trunk. The body was
cold. Anderson notified the police. and
while he was away two fremen, Frank
+. F-ere and W. c. LunsfOrd. Of Engine
Company No. 8, cut the body down and
laid fl on the bed. Coroner hewitt. who
arrived shortly after the suicide, found
TO clue 20 indicate the motive for the
mans deed, nor could the people ln the
house furnish any information as to the
cause
Strickhart was twenty-seven years old,
and had been In the employ OF the Balti-
more and Ohio Railroad for ten years. ex-
cept for two years during which he
served as "a soldier iu the Twenty-ffth
Infantry !E the Philippines From the ac-
count given Of him by his acquaintance
be was "a pr0vident young man who had
saved considerable sum OF money
which was deposited in the bank
Had Good Habits.
He had no bad habits, and although not
a total abstaiuer. he was not known at
any Of the saloons near his home Night
work had prevented bis association with
young women. and his friends seem Ger
tain that a love affair could not have oc-
casioDed the deed. They are az a loss
70 know what Influenced him, and were
persistent in their endeay0rs to have
Moxley divuige the motive.
The parents Of the Young man have
been dead for some years. and the near
est relatives that be has ia Washington
are his aunt, Mrs. Smith, with whom he
lived. Two brothers of the man live in
New York. but their addresses are not
known. The police have undertaken 10
notify them.