The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1912-06-20
Commits Suicide.

Commits Suicide. 49,.
Worry over crops and financial con-
Gitions had unbalanced the mind of
Frank Vasko, a renter who had been
"enting the farm of Martin Souhrada,
situated miles north of town, and
ir this dark moment the man jumped
headlong into a well, thus ending the
misery of his troubled mind: This
happened last Thursday afternoon at
about 8 o'clock when telephone cali
came here from one Of the neighbors
reciting the facts Several men Of
this place at once left for the place
and shortly after succeeded In getting
the corpse out of the we'll. The cor
oner, DR.. Black, was promptly mott.
fed. He arrive In company of the
sheriff and clerk and after the prem
ises had been looked over, an inquest
was held. The coroner's jury, con-
sisting Of Or. Black, A. ]. Novak and
A. Dvorak, after hearing the wit
nesses and all of the evidence, re-
turned a verdict that Frank Vasko
came to his death by jumping head
long into we'll while deranged.
According to the testimony of his
wife, he had shown signs of ,despond-
ency about Ave weeks ago, when a
neavy rain damaged his crops. The
fear that he could not provide for his
large family seemed to prey upon his
mind with disastrous result. About
three weeks ago he had attempted sui
eide by taking dose of strychnine,
but was saved by timely medical aid.
Last week Thursday, after cultivating
corn in the morning, he came home
at dinner time and unhitching the
team became much excited and agi-
tated, repeating constantly that it
was useless to continue farming as 1t
was impossible to make living on
the land. His wife succeeded in quiet
ing him and he thereupon went to
sleep on a lounge. In about an hour
he awakened, and taking a large
butcher knife, ran outside, but was
there met by his wife who grappled
with him and succeeded in taking the
knife away from him. He then be-
came a raving maniac and began to
run towards a nearby creek. Mrs
| Vasko followed him in an effort to
persuade him to come back, but lost
sight of him. She returned and after
attending to the children and some
| chores about the house, she noticed
that the cover to an old we'll near the
house had been removed, and taken
by presentiment, she looked into the
well and there saw his hat floating
on the surface. She then sent one OF
the children to John Vitek's place,
who phoned to Tabor what had hap
rened.
The we'll into which the demented
man had hurled himself is about IA
feet deep and four feet square. II
contained about six feet Of water and
when the party from Tabor arrived
J. A. Wagner descended into 1t on
a ladder after the corpse appeared at
the surface, and aided by the others,
the body was taken out.
| Vasko had been renting farms near
Lesterville in past years and was
known to be hard working man,
always attentive to his family. He
never touched liquor and at all times
acted with prudence and intelligence.
The one thing to be most deplored
Ia that he carried no life insurance
and he leaves nothing besides the
value of a renters outfit for his
family of six children, the oldest be.
ing IA and the youngest six months.
Frank Vasko was born in the state
OF Illinois So years ago and married
his present wife, who had been a
widow with four small children, three
years ago. Before his marriage he
had been working as a farm hand in
this portion of the state. The funeral
was held last Saturday morning a,
the z. C. B. J. cemetery south oi
town. --.