Evening capital news. (Boise, Idaho) 1901-1927, 1912-10-26
SU|C|DE>OF IDAHO
man IN ILLINOIS
Cambridge Rancher Who
Ended His Life Thought
to Have Lost Mind.

The Galesburg, ILL.,, Evening Mail
publishes the following report Of the
suicide Of Robert Ludwig. Of Cam
bridge. Ida. in that city last Monday:
A tragedy was enacted on the second
floor of the police station Sunday night
in which Robert Ludwig OF Cambridge,
Ida, figured as the victim Of an I'M
balanced mind. Sunday evening the
ranchman came to the Jail. and made
friends with the officers and was given
a bed on the second floor Of the sta
ton at his own request, because he
feared that someone was pursuing him.
This morning his dead body was dis
covered by the desk sergeant, lying
across the bed. the throat cut deep
with a jack-knife.
Mr.. Ludwigs acquaintance with
Galesburg dates from about 3 o'clock
Sunday morning. when he left the Chi
cago fast mail on the Santa Fe and
asked Officer Waters, who was at the
depot, to direct him to a hotel Upon
his getting off the train, the porter
called to the patrolman, Don't let that
man get off here. he Is q passenger to
New York" Ludwig assured the off,
Ger. however. that he had a perfect
right to get off where he pleased. say
ing, II have plenty Of money to pay
my way on to Chicago from here and I
want to go to a hotel and get cleaned
up" Waters directed him to the ILL.,
nois hotel, where he spent the rest OF
the night
Wont to Jail for Information.
In the middle OF the morning, on
Sunday. the old German came to the
city Jail to ask for Information about
his ticket Chief Human went to the
Santa Fe depot with him and the agent
agreed to send the passenger on to
Chicago. where he could catch the Erie
for New York. After the arrangements
were made the officer left him. Both
at the jail and the depot Mr.. Ludwig
appeared to be apologize about an in
cident that occurred on the train and
he was all the time afraid that some
Greeks who had been in the same car
with him were following him. He was
assured that everyone in this city was
his friend and 1t was believed by the
chief Of police that he would get along
all right after he had gotten some rest,
inasmuch as he had come all the way
from Denver without sleeping.
Back to the Station Again.
In the middle of the forenoon. a tele-
phone call to the police station from
the Santa Fee ticket agent impaired the
information that the westerner had just
left the depot with his suit case and
that he appeared to be acting queerly
peared at the jail saying in dialect,
Excuse me. but they don't seem to
want me down there at the station, so
thought I had better come up here and
get some rest
Realizing that the ranchman was I'M
Mt to continue on the Journey to New
York. and fearing that he might meet
with foul play and be robbed, Chic:
Human advised him to return to his
home. which he consented to do. A
letter of credit from the Peoples Bank
Of Cambridge. Idaho. to the Chase Ma
tionai bank Of New York city author
izing this bank to accept Ludwig's
check up to 5000. furnished the address
for q telegram to the cashier request
Ing that the bank send someone to take
the man home. While waiting for a
reply to this wire. Ludwig asked to be
given room wherein he could rest.
We'll Supplied With Money.
Before being taken to a room in the
station, Mr.. Human asked him to leave
his money downstairs in the safe.
which the old man readily consented
to do. The amount of money which
he carried surprised tho officer. In a
leather purse he had $3.50 In currency.
and In a buckskin bag tied around his
neck. ne carried $3.50 In gold and $50
In large bills. In addition to this
money he had pocketful OF small sill
yer and q dollar bill. His ticket was a
through one to New York city.
Wanted to D Locked In.
1t was early in the afternoon, when
Chief Human took the man to room
on the second floor OF the Jail. but ne
asked to be allowed to rest. and SEEM
ed pleased with the bed and room.
you had better lock the door," he said
to the chief a. he was leaving. $50 they
won't get me-" In response to this re-
quest the door Of the room was bolted.
NOthln~ vva q heard Prom, tho s,,o,, = N