Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-06-18
SUICIDE OF GEO. H. METTLER
DESPoNDENT BECAUSE OF RE-
CENT PARALYTIC STROKE.
Daughter Finds His Body Hanging In
the Woodshed at Family
Home.

| Fearing that he would become burden
on his family, 1t is stated, because of his
almost helpless condition, resulting from
a paralytic stroke, George Henry Mettler,
| navy yard machinist sixty-five years
and six months old, living at II 9th street
| northeast, hanged himself in the woodshed
| of his home about $50 o'clock this morn
Ing. Life was extinct when the body was
discovered by his daughter Anna. Coroner
| hewitt decided after an investigation that
| the case was one Of suicide, and gave a
certificate accordingly.
The remains will be prepared for burial
here and will then be taken to the old
home Of the deceased in Canton, Pa The
| exact time Of the funeral has not yet been
| determined.
| Mr.. Mettler arose this morning about 9
o'clock, as usual, with the other members
| of his family, and after he dressed him.
self he was seen going out into the wood
| she'd Nothing was thought Of 1t at first
| but when his absence extended into fifteen
| minutes Mrs. Mettler sent her daughter
| Anna to look for him.
When the young woman stepped into the
woodshed she saw her fathers body hang
| Ing by slender rope from a beam next
| to the roof. With cry of fright she ran
back to her mother, told her what she had
seen and then aroused her brother Frank.
who was in bed. Frank went hurriedly
| to the woodshed and cut the rope which
lowered to the floor. The aged man seemed
to breathe once, but there were no further
signs of life. DR.. Louis K. Beatty was
called to the home and discovered that
Mr. Mettler was dead.
The police were notified soon afterward,
and a policeman from the ninth precinct
| station went to the house and took charge
until the arrival of the coroner.
Family Had Warning.
Members of the family stated this morn
ing that they have feared that Mr. Mettler
would try to take his life at any time, and
the shock of the discovery was therefore
not so great as it would otherwise have
| been. April last Mr.. Mettler suffered a
paralytic stroke which rendered him almost
| helpless He had very little use of his right
side, and his light arm has been prac-
| tlcally useless since that time. On sew
eral occasions recently he has stated that
| he would never consent to be a burden to
his family. His father and mother and his
| grandparents, it is declared died of strokes
similar to that which Mr.. Mettler suffered,
| and it is known that he believed his death
would come in that way.
The family took away all weapons and
| tools with which Mr.. Mettler might do him
self harm, hiding his razor and the sharp
knives in the house. This morning. how
ever, he procured small piece of clothes
| line, and with that managed to accomplish
| his purpose. How he tied the rope around
the beam and then around his neck so eff
| tectively is mystery to the family. His
are CONVINCED tIdt MS NINA was
affected After he had made the rope fast
to the beam and his neck, standing on a
chair. he kicked the chair from under him.
Long Service in Navy Yard.
Mr.. Mettler was a machinist in the navy
yard during the eighteen years of his resi-
dence in this city, and continued his work
| there until he suffered the paralytic stroke
April 3. He was regarded as IN excellent
workman and had many friends in the
yard. He was a member of the Odd Eel
lows and had taken prominent part in
the work of that organization. He was q
| member of Canton 321 and of Encampment
No. 164, and was at one time the head of
the encampment He was also member of
the Mutual Relief Association of the navy
yard.
The deceased was born in Troy, Brad
ford county Pa, but most of his life pre-
viously to moving to this city was spent in
Canton. Pa Thirty-fve years ago he mar
ried there Miss Frances E. Seymour Sis
ter of former State Senator Seymour of
California. His wife and five children
Thomas c., Robert G., Sybil L., Anna E.
and Frank land four grandchildren sur
Vive him.