Omaha daily bee., 1909-01-21
CHARLES SEARLE ENDS LIFE
Rents Room in the Ogden Hotel and
Takes Carbolic Acid.
NO REASON YET APPARENT
Deceased Was Brother of Former
Auditor searie of Nebraska and
A. l.. searIe of Omaha, and His
Father Lives at OgalalIa.

Guarantee Fund Life association. with Of
fees In the Brandeis building. Omaha, ana
brother of former State Auditor Searie,
committed suicide by drinking carbolic acid
at the Ogden hotel Tuesday afternoon
searie lived at liz North Seventh street,
with his wife and 1s-year-old daughter.
Why searle killed himself his friends and
family cannot tell
searle appeared at the ogden hotel about
10 yesterday morning and registered as
&C. F. Searle, City," To the clerk On duty
he said he wanted a room. as he wished to
rest While his appearance did not indi-
cate It, searle told the clerk he had been
drinking.
Sesrle ate dinner in the hotel in the mid
die OF the day and vent back to his room
shortly after / o'clock. A few minutes later
he sent the porter to the drug store across
the street to buy a bottle OF vaseline.
About 2 p. m. a chambermaid, In
passing dow the hall, noticed the smell Of
carbolic acid and reported the fact at the
office. When the door was forced
Searle was found lying on the bed uncon-
cious. He vas fully dressed with the ex-
ception of his coat. On a CHAIR beside the
bed was a tumbler and a sixrounce bottle
with half of the contents of carbolic acid
gone. The bottle of vaseline was also on
the chair.
In order to avoid burning his lips with
the acid Searie had carefully covered them
with the vaseline. Half Of the contents
of the bottle Of acid he had evidently
poured into the tumbler before drinking
it. He was still breath ing but wholly UNI
conscious when found and remained so
until death came about half an hour later.
DIR. O'Keefe was called as soon as the
man was found but his services were of no
avail.
The body was removed to WoodrinE's
undertaking rooms nearby. Although
searle had lived in Council Bluffs for sew
eral years, his business, except for the
short time he was in the employ of the
Hafer Lumber company. had been out OF
the city, and as had made a few friends
here, 1t was that thought that the suicide
was a stranger. The dead man was first
identified by Clarence Hafer.
Brother in Omaha.
Charles F. Searle was 80 years of age
and was a brother of E. NJ. searle Of Ogal-
lalla. Neb. A brother. A. L. Searle. lives
at 1884 Lafayette avenue. Omaha, and
another lives in Lincoln, and until January
was state auditor. 1t Is said several
years ago Charles Searle was receiver for
the Valley Land company.
Searle left a note written with PEN
Gil. directed to the management of
the Ogden hotel, which was found
in his room. In this note. Il is said,
Searle directed that his brother, A. l.
, Searle in Omaha, be notified and that his
personal effects be turned over to this
brother. "This will end it," 1t is said, was
added as a postscript.
W are absolutely at a loss to ascribe
any motive for my brother taking his life,"
said A. l.. Searle. MI. Searle was I'M
willing at first to say anything. Asked
II his brother was in financial straits, he
said he was not, and there was no other
trouble that he knew of. He said he took
luncheon with his brother last Saturday as
he had done three or four times a week
for some months. and II there had been
anything troubling his brother he would
have known it.
Charles Searle owned the house at liz
North Seventh street, Council Bluffs, hav-
ing built 1t about three years ago. 1t was
d handsome cottage of the bungalow style
and its interior fittings are of the ~costliest
character.
With Company Short Time.
Searle had only been with the Guarantee
Fund Life association as head bookkeeper
a little over four months.
we 90 not know anything Whatever
about his affairs, nor why he should take
his life" said Secretary J. c. Burlington.
HE was a good bookkeeper and l es-
teemed him very highly. There is abso-
lutely nothing the matter with his books
His work was satisfactory in every way
and he was in the employ of the company
when he committed suicide"
Asked about the insurance policies of the
bookkeeper, Mr.. Burlington said: 1--WE
know nothing as to the insurance he car
red, Though he worked for US, he die
not carry a policy with this company"