The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1908-11-04
FOUND DEAD IN THE WOODS.
Richard II. Marshall Commits Suicide
While DespOndent.

While DeSpOndent.
The residents of this community were
greatly shocked Sunday afternoon at the
report of the finding of the body of Rich
ard Fl. Marshall in the woods land of f..
l.. Reib, on the the west bank of Tionests
creek, about mile and half from Tio.
nesta. The discovery was made shortly
after one o'clock by Mr.. Reib, who was
taking stroll up the bank of the creek.
He hurried to town and gave the alarm
and Coroner G. Y. Detar, of Kellettville,
was notified. Upon the arrival of the
coroner he appointed jury composed of
j. W. Jameson, j. W. Landeis, l.. l..
Zuver, G.. w. 0sgood, Daniel Walters
and Fent Kiffer, and after viewing the
body ordered its removal to Haslet's un-
dertsking rooms. The inquest was held
Sunday evening, in the Sheriff s office, at
the court house, and after examining the
body, and VIM. p Dechant, f. l.. Reib,
Chas. Sanner, Wm. Wanzor, Ezra Grubbs,
Sheriff A. W. Stroup, Norman Sandrock
and K. A. Fulton as witnesses, the jury
rendered verdict of which the following
is the substance:
"Do say on their oaths that after having
heard the evidence of the witnesses, who
were duly sworn, that the said r. II.
Marshall, deceased, came to his death by
his own hand some time unknown to the
jury between Oct. q and Nov. |, 1908, on
the banks of Tionesta creek, about two
miles east of Tionests, on the F. l.. Reib
farm, as follows; That the said r. H..
Marshall died from the effects of poison
taken and administered by his own hond
as all the evidence taken and the view OF
the body discloses this fact"
Mr.. Marshall came to Tionesta from
Scottdale, Pa, May q, 1907, and up to the
first of October last was employed as an
electro platter, at which he was an expert.
in the factory of the Standard Casket
Hardware Co. About a month ago he
went to Youngstown, Ohio, returning to
Tionests about two weeks ago, and was
making his home temporarily with the
family of VIM. Dechant. Tuesday morn
ing of last week, after making a very
careful toilet, he told Mrs. Dechant that
he was going for a long walk and started
up tbs creek road, as was his usual GUS
tom. About 4:30 that evening Sheriff
Stroup and Eza Grubbs passed him on
the road short distance from where his
body was found. He spoke to them
pleasantly and they did not observe any
thing unusual in his actions. At $3.50 the
same evening VIM. Wanzor, who was
working on the Randall iarm across the
creek, saw him walking up and down the
road near the same place. This was the
last time he was seen alive. When found
he was lying with his back against the
bank. His clothing was not disarranged
and there was no sign OF struggle, death
having evidently come to him suddenly
from the effects of powerful poison. He
was neatly dressed in a grey overcoat,
black coat and trousers, brown vest,
light shirt, white tie and standup collar.
A black derby hat was laid carefully at
his left hand. At his left side lay an un-
corked two.ounce bottle in which re-
mained small amount of liquid. At his
right side was found a similar bottle
nearly full of liquid. He was known to
carry these bottles in his pockets at all
times. Just what they contained or what
he used to commit the desperate deed has
not yet been determined. There were no
acid burns about the lips or throat. The
body was in good state of preservation
and the clothing did not show much cyl
dence of long exposure to the weather.
This has thrown considerable mystery
about the time of his death; many con-
tending that he could not have lain dead
in the woods since Tuesday evening, but
the fact remains that he was not seen
after that night until the finding of the
body In his pockets were found pair
of gloves, gold watch chain, silk watch
feb, package of letters. key No "A of the
Colonial Hotel, Youngstown, o., a bunch
of five keys, lead pencil, comb. and
pock ketbook containing some papers A
seal ring with the initials ar. II. NJ" was
on the third finger of his right hand. No
money was found in his clothes.
When Mr.. Marshall went to Youngs-
town he was known to have over $500 in
money and he was penniless when he re-
turned. He stated that $l35 of this had
gone to pay lawyer for services toward
securing patent for electro-plating of
which he was the inventor, and the bal
snce be knew not where. In this condi-
tion, penniess, out of work and with no
home, he became respondent and proba-
bly, concluded to end his life. He had
never made any threats to this effect. ex-
cept that he said to Mr.. Dechant on Mon
day evening: at will be all up with Dick
In the morning. Dick will be on his feet
again and will be square with every
body" or words to that effect. When he
did not return inquiries we're telephoned
to Nebraska, Kellettville and Tylersburg
but he had not been seen at those places.
Several persons had made search and