South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1914-12-28
VERSES REVEAL
DESPONDENCY AS
SUICIDE CAUSE
Edward RenCh, 24 Years Old,
Drinks Four Ounces of Car
bOIiC Acid and Dies on Way
to EpWOrth Hospital.

Did you ever think when the
hearse rolled by
That it won't be Ions before you
and l
Will take a ride in that black
plumed hack
And we won't remember of COM
ing back?"
Did YOU ever think in your greed
for gold
That a dead mans hand dollar
can't hold?'
These verses scribbled i'm a small
notebook found in the pocket of Ed
ward Rench. Il years old. throw the
only light on the suicide OF Rench, .
Monday morning in the Crescent hotel.
Friends and relatives are unable to
assign reason for Renchs drinking
four ounces of carboIc acid from the
contents of a fve-gallon can. lie was
rushed to the police station and then
10 the hospital, but died on the way.
These verses, revealing Il brood.nS
melancholy which was not evident TO
his associates. Indicate that despond-
ency had gripped him for some time
previous TO his suicide.
Rench was a chauffeur and me
chanic. For more than two years at
various times he had been in the en-
plOy of j. g. Barrett, proprietor OF a
feed and grain barn on y. Michigan
St. but had been unemployed in the
past four weeks. That fact alone has
suggested itself to be the reason Tor
his suicide.
Father Mas Minister.
His father was formerly minister
in Goshen, where the family lived.
Rench came To South Bend when his
father accepted u call from church
in Johnstown, Pa, where he now
lives.
hotel corridors was the irSt intimaton
of the suicide attempt. A maid try
ing TO trace the smell saw Rench
come staggering out of "A storeroom IN
which the acid was kept for dislntect-
ing purposes, and lurch down the nall
way into the bathroom She sum-
moned John NJ. Thoma, manager Of
the hotel. who raped on the bath
room door and demanded admittance.
Rench opened the door. as he did
so. falling over unconscious. lie was
taken to the police station by Thoma
and a policeman and DR.. Edgar Myers
was called. DR.. Myers ordered the
man taken TO the hospital, but Rench
died on the way there in the police
ambulance.
According to persons who have been
associated with Rench for the past
few weeks. he had been despondent
and gloomy but that he was desperate
| for some unknown cause, was not real
| lied He had returned few weeks
ago from Ottumwa, H., where he had
been employed. \ letter from a
young woman in that city was among
the few papers found upon his body
! by Acting Coroner DR.. G. b. Crum-
packer. who was summoned after the
body had been taken to the Herrick
undertaking rooms.
Arrested "a Gambler.
Rencb was a member of the party
| that was arrested some time ago IN
the Crescent hotel for operating a
poker game. He was said at one
I time TO have been professional
! gambler. but had dropped the game.
They family of Perry Noder OF
Goshen. with whom Rench was said to
| have been intimate. was unable TO cast
any light upon his suicide. Dr. Crum-
packer refused to make a statement
until after the inquest is held, which
will be when all the witnesses IN the
case have been located.
| Rench's father and stepmother IN
Johnstown have been notified and VIII
arrive in the city as soon as possible.
! They are said to be his only relatives.