The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1911-10-06
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NOTES LEFT BEHIND.

NOIES LEI oEH'NO.
+ "Good by to everybody. I +
+ am leaving this world be. +
+ cause life is a failure to me. +
f Blame nobody for this deed. E
+ George Rohrbeck." =
= ~ want to be laid to rest +
+ beside my mother and father +
f at Carroll, Iowa." +
+ f. + + + + + + + + + + + + =
From Mondays Daily.
Those are the last despairing
words that were penned by George
Rohrbeck when he bid adieu to this
world and hanged himself in the
haymow Of the barn on the farm
of julius Simon, a short distance
north of FairmOnt. The self-de-
struction of the young man was at
tended by several sensational fea-
lures. His was an unusual case of
suicide.
The note, written with lead
pencil in a steady hand had been
placed in a German hymn book at
a marked page where the hymn
"How Short Is the Life of Man." a
funeral dirge, was printed, and the
whole laid on black handkerchief
on the pillow of his bed.
Severed an Artery Also.
After making these few simple
arrangements the young man went
out to the barn, tackled a black
cloth on the door leading to the
haymow, assembled the stairs and
hanged himself, having first se''.
cred the artery in his left wrist IN
order to make doubly certain the
end he sought.
Mr.. Simon and his family were
attending the county fair and Rohr-
beck was alone at the place when
the sad impulse to end his own
life was yielded to. The young
man ate an early dinner with the
family on Friday, after which all
but he departed for the fair. He
told Mr.. Simon that he did not care
to go but would stay and look
after the place. Nothing unusual
was noticed in his manner, except
that for the past few days he had
complained of not feeling well and
had consulted DR.. Johnson about
his health.
Did Not Go to Fair.
AS Mr.. Simon had number oil
exhibits at the fair the family did
not return home for supper bui
about eight o'clock Mr.. Simon's son
went home to do the chores. After
working about the farm buildings
for some time the boy started to
put down hay for the horses when
he noticed the black cloth nailed
on the door leading to the hay
NOW and Immediately OWNED that
something was wrong and thought
best to notify his father before go
ing to the haymow. He had al
ready noticed the absence of George
and he was somewhat concerned
at this.
Mr.. Simon, his son and Policeman
Ebben went to the farm. Reach
ing the haymow gruesome sight
caused them to shudder. The dead
body of Rohrbeck was hanging from
rafter and covered with blood
that had flowed from the severed
artery.
Had Tested Strength of Rafter.
1t appears that the man had
either made two attempts or that
in testing the strength of one by
six rafter brace it had proved I'M
equal to the strain and broken. He
then tied the rope to a rafter and
secured it firmly, cut his wrist, prob
ably with a blade from a safety
razor, and jumped off into etern-
ity, dropping about five feet. The
rope was tied under the left ear
with common slip knot. Death
had taken place about five hours
before the body was discovered.
The remains were taken to the
rooms of an undertaken and broth
err of the deceased, living twelve
miles northwest of Sherburn, was
notified. The brother came down
early Saturday to make arrange
ments for burial and the disposi-
ton of the effects of the deceased.
His wish to be buried beside his
parents will be respected.
Disappointment in Love.
It is supposed that his condition
of melancholy leading up to SELF
destruction was caused by disap-
pointment in love affair. He is
known to have been engaged to
marry a young woman of Louis
vile, Kentucky, with whom he be-
came acquainted through CORE
spondence. About three weeks ago
he arranged with William Baugh-
man of Rolling Green to work for
him for a year. 1t was understood
that he was soon to be married and
that they would keep house on the
Baughman farm. On the strength
of this understanding he began
work but after short time a
special delivery letter for him came