Watertown weekly leader. [volume] (Watertown, Jefferson County, Wis.) 1906-1908, 1907-01-25
EXPOSURE ENDS LIFE
OF AUGUST ERDMANN
CHASTITY DISCOVERY MADE
YESTERDAY MORNING.
Body Found BY Side of Track Near
Dornfeld-Kunert Compdny'S Of
fiCe-lnqueSt viii Be Held and
Investigation INDEPENDENTLY
Someone is to Blame.
tFrom Wednesdays Daily.)

gnastly discovery was made
shortly after 6 O'Clock yesterday
morning, when the lifeless body OF
August Erdmann, who resided at 30
William street in the Seventh ward,
was found lying by the side of side
track between the city pumping station
and the office of the Dornfeld- Kunert
company, but nearer the latter.
1t seems that the discovery was
first made when teamster in the
employ of the Dornfeld- kunert COM
pany drove by the spot and observed
the body. The teamster went to the
pumping station and the fact was
made known at the police station by
telephone. Emil Luther, who answer
ed the phone. informed the parties
that he had already been notified,
also that he had informed Chief of
Police Block of the fact. The chief
soon instituted an investigation of the
affair which has It's sad and pathetic
side to say the least.
ihS bSihaiilo "SlS lSlhoNCu w lIiS
undertaking rooms of Knowack &
Kohl and prepared for burial and last
evening were removed to the family
home. The funeral will be held
Thursday afternoon at 80 O'Clock to
st. Johns church.
An inquest was ordered to deter
mine the cause of death and the facts
leading up to the same. An adjourn
ment was taken till next Monday
morning, Jan. 2Sth at 9 O'Clock. 1t
seems that young Erdmann, son,
who is said to have been with his
father during the preceding evening,
tells conflicting stories in regard to
the death of his father and to incl
dents leading up to the same. The
last story told 10 the chief of police,
however, seems the most plausible.
1t was to the effect that father and
son were together IN the evening and
both were partaking freely of intoxi-
cants and became under the influence.
AS near as can be determined from
the findings of the authorities, both
were together in the vicinity of the
pumping station between 10 and IL
o'clock. If the sons later story is
to be relied upon, he found that his
father could not continue the journey
homeward. The younger ErdmanD
declares that he visited the pumping
station for the purpose of securing
assistance in removing his father to
warm place, the thermometer at that
time registered ten degrees below
zero. 1t was added in the statement
made by the son that he asked an en-
ploye at the station to assist him in
bringing his father in out of the cold;
that he was refused on the ground
that the employe was two busy and
could not leave the station. The son
in one of his latter statements also
added that he fell asleep and did not
awaken until informed of the finding
of the lifeless BODY of his father.
Whatever the facts in the case
may be, it remains a certainty that
August Erdmann met his death by
exposure to the elements that
night, fact that someone will no
doubt have to answer for--if not
before the man made tribunal of
justice, then before the higher trlbu-
nal. If there was the shere neglect
and Indifference that looks reasonable
to believe, the remorse of con-
science alone should be worse than
the tortures of hell to the one direct
Iy to blame for the death, for no one
with a semblence OF a heart or pinch
of conscience would let even a dumb
brute lay out in the ,old to die by
degrees, as is the case with this
old gentleman, who is said to be
about sixty-one years of age.
The deceased is survived by
wife and several children, fact that
increases the pathos of the affair.
He had been resident of the city
for many years. AS far as is known
he was his own worst enemy-harm
ing no one save himself by excessive
ness as was evidently the case Mon
day evening.
The inquest next Monday will no
doubt BRING out the true facts in the
case. When discovered, there was not
scratch Or a bruise on the body,
denoting clearly that the unfortunate
old gentleman had simply yielded to
his appetite till he had reached help
less state and LAID down to die, because
of lack of little care.