The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1913-04-19
Believed That Martin Haber-
kern Committed Suicide by
ROWING in Thistle
thWaite's Pond.
HE HAD NOT BEEN
SEEN FOR 8 DAYS
Was Despondent Over Ina
bi1ity to Cease Drinking
Had Been Arrested on the
Charge of. lntoxication.

The body of Martin Haberkern, aged
81, 35 S. Fifth street, brother of Will
liam Haberkern, proprietor of the Oak
land Wine company, was found float
ing in Thistlethwaite's pond, north of
Richmond. According to Coroner
Pierce, the body may have been in the
water for more than a week. A YER
dict of suicide will probably be filed
by the coroner. 1t is believed that the
man was respondent over his inability
to stop drinking. He has been ar
rested on various occasions on the
charge of intoxication.
The body was first seen this morn
ing by Paul Edwards, 10, Russell Car
rington. IL and Harry Darlington, 10,
while the boys were preparing to
fish in the pond. Chief of Police Cor
went with Prosecuting Attorney Rel
Ter and Patrolman Vogelsong to the
pond.
The body was ten feet from the west
bank below the G. and o. railroad
tracks. 1t was some time before it
could be recovered. A rake was
necessary to pull the body near enough
to the bank so that it could be pulled
from the water.
No Identification could be found on
the man and for some time no identity
could be ascertained. His clothes
were searched and an empty pocket
book. keys, spectacle case, a meal
ticket and a gold locket and chain
were found. The meal ticket had writ
ing on it, but it was impossible to de-
termine the name as the paper had
been soaked with water.
The identification was determined
by Patrolman Vogelsong. He had ex-
amined the locket and found in it a
picture of a woman whom he knew to
be a friend of the unfortunate man
He had not been seen in this city for
eight days, Patrolman Vogelsong hav.
ing talked to him on April 18th.
The flesh of the man was slightly
decomposed. Coroner Pierce stated
cold and for this reason the decompo
sition was slow. 1t is believed that the
body has been in the water from five
to eight days. The boys who discover
ed it say that they were playing
around the pond on Thursday and that
they saw no trace of it at that time.
Haberkern has not been at his home
for more than two weeks. On March
rs he was released from the county
Jail after having served Jail sentence
of IL days for public intoxication. For
one night he remained at home and
then left He has not been seen there
since that time
The theory of foul play was not en-
tered into by the coroner as it is be
lieved the man either fell into the
pond while in state of intoxicatior
or committed suicide.
Residents of Bridge avenue say thai
Haberkern often walked along tha
street towards Thistlethwaite's pond
They claim that this was done only
when he was intoxicated. The las
time he was seen in the vicinity wa:
three weeks ago when he was released
from jail AT that time he passed
several persons near the pond.
At one time Haberkern was one o
the most expert stone masons in tn.
city, owning a stone yard on Soutl
Tenth street He is survived by hi,
brother. William Haberkern, two chill
dren. Hazel and Roy and his wife from
whom he was divorced.
Funeral arrangements have not beel
made. as yet.