The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-06-02
Man Who Was Found Hang.
ing to Tree Finally Is
Identified as Will
FlOitZ
TWO WOMEN CLAIMED
CORPSE AS BODY OF
THEIR HUSBAND
Fact That Lower Teeth Were cid
Filled Finally Decided Case in
Favor of Mrs. Floitz-Suicide
Was Despondent and
Out of Work

Identified by the fact that his lower
teeth were gold filled, the mystery of
the dead man who was found hanging on
small dogwood tree at Seventeenth ave-
nue. and Twenty-siXth street, North Bir-
mingham, Saturday afternoon at about
$40 o'clock, was solved yesterday morn.
ing in the morgue of Warner & smileys
The name of the suicide is now def
nitely settled as Will Floitz of 2S16ta
Twenty-seventh avenue, North Birming-
ham. as he was identified by his widow.
The question of his identity proved puz-
zling for when he was discovered hang
ing on the tree no one could be found
who knew him, and he was removed to
the Warner & Smiley morgue until the
police could investigate.
AT about II o'clock Saturday night a
Western Union messenger boy named
George Lawrence came to the morgue
and stated that the body was that of
bis father. He told an interesting story
of a marital separation, and said that
his mother, Mrs. w. Fl. Zastrow, 30OS
North Twenty-ifth street, would be down
in the morning to Identify the suicide as
Lewis M. Lawrence, his father.
Both Women Claim Corpse
Mrs. Zastrow came to the morgue with
her son early yesterday morning and
Immediately after seeing the features OF
the dead man asserted that it was the
body of her former husband. However,
here complication arose, for Mrs. Will
Floitz of 2S161a Twenty-seventh avenue,
North Birmingham, appeared, and also
positively identified the man as her hus
band.
The attendants at the morgue were con-
fused but they proceeded to query both
women as to any special marks on the
body OF the dead man that would lead
to more positive identification.
Mrs. Zastrow was allowed to make out
her description list and then Mrs. Floitz
gave her description. To the consterna-
ton of the morgue attendants both tai
lied. There seemed no way out of the
difficulty as both women were positive
of the identity.
Teeth Decide Question
inadvertently the question of teeth came
up, and Mrs. Zastrow Immediately claimed
that her former husband had gold filled
teeth. Mrs. Floitz stated that her hus-
band also had gold filled teeth. One of
the attendants queried Mrs. Zastrow as
to whether or not it was the upper or the
lower set of teeth that were gold filed.
THE upper set" she replied.
The same question being asked of Mrs.
F'loitz, she replied that her husband S
| teeth were gold filled on the lower set.
The attendant opened the mouth of the
corpse, and calling Mrs. Zastrow and Mrs
Floitz to look he showed them that it was
| the lower set of teeth that were gold
| filed. Mrs. Zastrow Immediately re-
nounced her claim and said that undoubt-
edly the remains were of the husband OF
Mrs. Floitz.
Mrs. Floitz in talking about the reasons
that lead to her husbands suicide, said
"Will was Respondent. He had been out
of work. and l believe that this was the
reason for his act He was 60 years old
and had always been good husband"
Hung Himself
The suicide of Will Floitz was a very
deliberate affair. He got a piece of fine
telegraph wire and tying it to the prong
of a sloping dogwood tree in North Bir-
mingham in view of the Southern railway
tracks, he climbed part way up the tree,
placed the wire moose around his neck and
jumped in the hope of breaking his neck.
However, the wire was too long and his
feet just managed to touch the ground.
This, the police assert, caused him to
slowly choke to death.
The remains are still at Warner 81
Smiley's, and will remain there until the
funeral arrangements are completed.
These had been held up pending identif-
cation.