Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1908-12-26
Tried to Drown Himself in the
Jordan, According to
Neighbors' Stories.
MYSTERY is NEAR SOLUTION
Charles selnsoths Bell Phone
Messenger, Found Dead Thurs
day, Has a History.
We Had Toothache on "Wednesday and
III 5 HISS May Have Taken Acid to
ssS Alleviate Pain.

On Wednesday evening between
$3.50 and Z o'clock, Charles Seinsotli
purchnsed 10 cents worth Of carbollc
acid from the Lcnver Drug store. $40
west South Temple street. Is.
Two or three days prior to his
death. receiving word that his father
and brother were coming up from Mill
ford to spend Christmas hero, young
Scinsoth said:
'rIt is too bad that we will not I'LL be
hero for Christmas"
Several months ago he made an at
tempt to commit suicide by jumping
into tho Jordan river. near which Is
tho home of the Seinsoth's, but WIS
tished out before he could drown.
Tho physicians who held an autop-
sy over the body refuse TO disclose,
their findings if they found traces or
carbolic acid.
State Chemist Harms is now making
an analysis OF the stomach and other
organs Of the boys body. He may be
able to report tomorrow and it may be
i or IL days before he makes his re-
port to tho county attorney.
That young Seinsotll committed sui
eide is tho firm belief of all who have
worked ON the case ina effort to
solve what appeared to be a most
deep and profound mystery.
Charles Washington, the colorcd
Pullman porter ut first Thought to be
guilty of the boys murder. was re-
leased from the city jail today.
That Charles seinsotll, the 16-year-
old boy whose dead and partly frozen
body was found on Second North be-
tween Main and State streets early
Thursday morning. committed suicide
is the firm belief of the police de-
&parttnent officials and officials of the
Bell Telephone company, and also of
the Seinsoth family,
s Many rays of light are now shed
on what was heretofore dark ana
impenetrable mystery, and it is conf
IDENTIFY expected that the chemical
analysis of the stomach by Chemist
Harms win disclose the presence of
5carbolic acid.
Z BOUGHT CARBoLIC ACID.
on wednesday evening between
6:3O and z o'clock young Seinsotf
Went to tho Leayer drug store and
asked for ten cents worth of car
bolic acid. Earl Leaver, q member
of tho firm, asked the youth what he
wanted with the poison and Seinsoth
replied that he wanted IL for his fa-
3tller. Asked what his father did
With it, he replied:
as a wash" Tho acid was given him
and the hoy was required to sign a
register, in accordance with the law.
He signed the register and his sigma
ture was most easily identified by off,
@rials OF the telephone company. The
signature was a. rather peculiar one,
and could not easily be mistaken. In
addition to this, Mr.. Leavers descrip-
ton of the boy sets at rest all doubt
that he bought the acid. &.
So far as known the last person seen
with the boy was Charles Washing
ton, the negro whom Seinsoth accom-
panied to the Pullman office for the
purpose of getting money for a tele-.
phone call. Washington's story of
where and under what circumstances
he left the boy has been corroborated
Tin every detail, and today Washington
twas overjoyed when Lieut.. Hempe!
he was free. Washington repeated his
story in detail and promised to report
promptly at police headquarters il
wanted, and to report if he contem.
plated leaving town. Why the youth
Went way down to the Leaver drug
store for poison is OF course as yet
one of the mysteries features and
probably will never be solved, but that
he did go there is settled beyond doubt.
All this morning policemen and de-
tectives have been searching iii the
neighborhood OF where the little body
was found cold in death for the acid
vial but so far they have been unable
TO find It.
ATTEMPTED SUICIDE.
One of the most startling develop
nents in the case, and one which