Carolina watchman. [volume] (Salisbury, N.C.) 1871-1937, 1913-10-01
A Splendid CITIZEN PASSES
|. LITTMANN DIES BY HIS
OWN HAND.
Salisbury Mourns the Sudden Death Of a
Cultured, Honorable and Progressive Nan

Cultured, Honorable and Progressive Nan
About ten. thirty Saturday night
the dead body of I. Littmann, 9
manufacturer and ex.merchant OF
Salisbury, was found on the
fourth four of the observatory al
the fair grounds. The colored
folks had a dance in the main
building and the body was found
by John Jenkins and another
Negro accidentally. The discov.
cry was made known at once and
the motorman-conductor of the
street car on his first trip back to
Salisbury notified Captain Gamble
of the police force. who. accom-
panied by Sheriff Mckenzie and a
number of others, went out on the
next car and identified the body.
It WAS not moved until after
Coroner T. w Summersett had
decided an inquest unnecessary
He lay upon his back, feet cross.
ed and seemed to have compos d
himself deliberately. His right
hand had dropped indifferently,
a 22-calibre pistol lay at his side
and a bullet hole was in his right
temple. This was enough to in.
dicata that he had taken his own
life, but further evidence was
contained IN a sealed letter, writ.
ten in German, TO his wife, found
in his pocket. This, unopened,
was delivered to Mrs. Littmann,
enough of which, however, was
made public to confirm the cir.
cumstantial evidence of death as
related above.
1t has taken days for the public
to understand and believe that I.
Llttmann really considered such q
step. He was q man of marked
intelligence, superior skill, highly
educated, we'll informed and uni
versally known to be- q sound,
minute reasoner, financi lily
straight, of successful business
qualifications, and gentlemanly in
his conduct. All of which indi-
Gates how surprising, shocking
and sorrowful was the news of his
pa ssing,
Mr.. Littmann was So years old
and came to Salisbury in the
and he, with 1. Lichten-
stein, bought the stock of goods
and business then conducted by
the late P. P. Meroney. After
remaining in the Meronsy stand
for short time the business was
moved to the corner of Main and
and Innes stree ts in the building
now occupied by John Young,
druggist. The firm of Littmann
& Lichtenstein was dissolved, Mr..
Littmann becoming the sole own
er. Selling out later Mr.. Lift.
mann built aud conducted a cord
age mill near the Western rail-
road and North Jackson Street.
Owing to some litigation as the
result of an injured employee this
mill was closed. Later, machinery
for the manufacture of lard and
butter trays was installed, bnt
this proved Improbable and he
with Max Moses, a brother-in-law,
conducted Wholesale grocery es.
tablishment. This was success.
full, but Mr.. Moses returned to
Germany and Mr.. Littmann soon
saw that he was unable to attend
to the business alone, sold 1t to
Simpson & Peacock. Then after
years recuperation. machinery
for the manufacture of mosquito
bars and novelties was installed
in the old factory an9 its opera.
tion has been in progress for sew.
eral months. But it seems the
work and worry of getting this
enterprise established had brought
on nervous troubles and insomnia.
Several months of this of course
made matters worse and it seems
his mind gave way under the
strain. lie has been in a serious
condition for several weeks and
his family we're much worried
OVER his condition, but he persist
ed in tae performance of his du.
tics till Saturday morning. He
left home as usual, went to the
mill, then to q nearby gro
Gerry store, then back to the
mill then it seems he walk.
ed out past the Ferd Brenner