The Hartford herald. [volume] (Hartford, Ky.) 1875-1926, 1907-11-27
SELF DESTRUCTION.
Was the Terrible Deed of
Mr.. Henry Duke.
FIRST TOOK CARBOLIC ACID
Then Hung Himself in His
Barn-Bad Health the
Cause of Rash ACtt.


Mr. Henry Duke committed suicide
last Friday morning at his home in
the Goshen neighborhood, about two
miles from Hartford, by hanging him
self from a rafter in his barn, after
first taking carbolic acid. 1t was ear
ly in the morning and not yet daylight
when he committed the rash deed.
Just before daylight he went with his
son-in-law, Walter Mercer, to feed the
stock and milk the COWS. The barn
is about two hundred yards from the
residence. The two finished milking
and Mr.. Mercer returned with the
milk to the house. The family had
not thought anything of Mr.. Duke
falling to arrive until about twenty
minutes had passed, when Mr.. Mercer
went to the barn to investigate. The
barn is built in two sections with
driveway between, one roof covering
the whole. 1t is a two-story affair,
but there Is no floor UP over the
driveway. only the bare timber on
which to nail flooring
Upon arriving at the driveway Mr..
Mercer was Mortified to see his faith
er-in-law swinging by rope tied to
one of the beams above. The unfor-
tunate man had taken a cotton rope
pillow line, tied one end to one of the
beams, mounted a ladder close by
which led up into the loft, fastened
the other end around his neck and
Jumped or stepped off the ladder in
to enternity. A bottle which had
contained carbolic acid was lying
empty on the ground close by, with
the cork near. II is supposed that
the last act of Mr.. Duke was to
swallow the acid and step off the
ladder. No marks of the acid were
found on his lips, but the bottle smell
ed fresh of the deadly poison. AT
ter the bottle was found it was remer'
bered that Mr.. Duke had purchased
tour-ounce bottle of the acid at
Beaver Dam about a month ago, but
nobody then suspected his purpose.
The lantern which the two had TAX
en- with them to milk was just inside
the barn and by its faint rays Mr.Mer-
Ger beheld the swaying body. He was
so Mortified and unnerved that he
seemed almost paralyzed and he could
do nothing only cry for help His
wife, the unfortunate suicides daugh-
ter, heard him and came running to
his assistance Mr.. Dukes hands
were clasped peacefully over his
breast, and evidentally he had died
without struggle of any sort. AL
though frantic with horror and fear,
Mr.. Mercer and his wife soon man.
aged to cut their father down. His
body was yet warm, but the spark OF
life had fled. A closer examination
afterwards disclosed the fact that Mr..
Dukes neck had not been broken by
the rope. A. slight abrasion behind
the left ear was the only mark of the
rope thatecould be found. 1t is sup
posed that he died more from the
effects of the carbolic acid than the
rope. His feet lacked about two
feet of touching the ground when he
was found hanging.
The body was quickly taken to the
residence and neighbors summoned,
but IL was seen that the unfortunate
man was beyond all human aid. The
grief of the relatives was pitiful, for
he was a good husband and father
and highly respected neighbor and
citizen. He was 6S years old at the
time of his death. For some time
past he had been in i'll health, which
had affected his mind. For months
past he had not been known to smile
and would hardly talk when spoken
to. He had suffered a great deal from
a strange growth at the side of one OF
his eyes, and some weeks ago he ac-
cidentally fell upon a harrow tooth
which penetrated his leg and caused
him great misery. For some time
his relatives had noticed that he act
ed queerly. They saw that his mind
was affected, but apparently in no
serious degree. He had made no
threats at self-destruction, and his
relatives were inexpressibly shocked
at his rash act of suicide Evidently
he had planned the deed carefully, ex-
ecuted it fearlessly and with the ut
most success.
Mr.. Duke leaves wife and daugh-
ter, Mrs. Walter Mercer, who with
her husband and two children, are