Watertown weekly leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1906-1908, 1907-07-26
ALBERT ESSMANN
COMMITS SUICIDE
RASH ACT WAS COMMITTED
WEDNESDAY, MORNING.

Hung Himself in Hay Loft on OIL
Schwartz Farm South OF Ju
nedu-Mind Weakened BY Con
tinudl Brooding-DiSCoVery Wa.
Made BY His Pioneer Res
ident.
Albert Essmann, who resides OF
the old Schwartz farm south Of Jun.
eau, committed suicide by hanging,
about 5 80 o'clock Wednesday morn.
ing. The Juneau Independent in
speaking of the affair said in part at
follows:
HE hanged himself in the hay-loft
of his own barn and was found there
by his wife shortly after the deed
was committed.
On the fatal morning Mr.. Essmann
arose at his customary hour (about
O'clock and did not act differently
than on any other morning. He ent
to the barn and fed the horses, then
returned to the house and aWoke the
other members of the family. After
awaking the family he went back to
the barn, and IN all probability went
direct to the hay-loft and hanged
himself.
His wife, who arose shortly after her
husband called. went direct to the
barn To feed the chickens. Failing
to see her husband about the barn, she
became alarmed and began a search
for him. For some time past Mrs.
Essmann has been conscious of her
husbands mental condition, AMI his
absence instantly suggested the hor-
rIble deed that was soon to be re-
vealed TO her. On searching the hay
loft she found the dead body of her
husband hanging from beam. Mrs.
Essmann cut the rope. and then went
to the house and told her family of
the tragedy. Life was extinct when
Mr.. Essmann's body was found, but
the body was still warm and the general
appearance Indicated that. life had just
departed.
Scarcely half hour had elapsed
between the time Mr.. Essmann called
his wife and the finding of the body.
The supposition is that Mr.. Essmann
climbed up onto the beam, fastened
the rope about his neck and then drop
ped, death resulting instant aniously.
The cause of Mr.. Essmann's rash
act IS attributed to his mental de-
rangement, with which malady he has
been afflicted for some time. The first
symptoms of insanity became notice
able in Mr.. Essmann about seven years
ago. In or about that time he sold his
farm in the town of Oak Grove. After
the bargain had been made and pos
session had been given, it appears that
Mr.. Essmann regretted that he had
made the transaction, and even offered
to buy back the place. His continual
brooding over the sale of his farm
brought on a spell of melancholy that
produced insanity. Shortly after sell
ing his farm, he removed TO the town
of Trenton where he purchased good
farm: but he was not at ease there
and finally sold out and returned to
this vicinity, buying the old Schwartz
farm
About two years ago, his insanity
became more pronounced and i. be-
came necessary tn send him to the
northern hospital for treatment. He
was later discharged from this lnstitu-
ton, but his mind never became normal
a fact that was we'll known to the
members of his family and to his rela
tives. He often spoke of his ailment
and seemed to realize his condition, and
was in constant dread that he would
again have to be taken to an asylum.
In these detected spells he limited at
suicide rather than be returned to an
asylum.
Under these circumstances, there
can be no doubt but that his self
destruction is an irresponsible act and
was committed in a moment when the
mind, weighted by constant brooding
had failed to perform its proper func-
tions.
Albert Essmann was born in the
town of Herman on April 26, 1857,
and had spent the greater portion of
his life in the vicinity of his birth.
Ci. the second day of March, 1873 8, he
was united in marriage to Miss Dora
Griepentrog, who with a family of
nine children, survives him.
Crop Report.
The crops in this section of the
state are below the average this y ear.
H.