The weekly tribune and the Cape County herald. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1914-1918, 1915-03-12
EDGAR BERGMAN
ENDS HIS LIFE
IN ST. Louis
Travelling Man, Well-KnOwn
in Cape, Takes Acid in
Boarding House.
BODY is FOUND BY
DR.. HOPES COUSIN
Had Been iii For Many Years
Body to Be Buried in
kentucky.

Edgar 7. Bergman, salesmanager
for the Rice-Stix Dry Goods Company
and probably the best known travelling
man in Southeast Missouri, committed
suicide in St. Louis yesterday after
noon by swallowing carbolic acid.
Mr.. Bergman'S act was due to long
siege of illness, which, his friends say,
temporarily deranged him. He had
been in a state Of dependency for
several months, and his whereabouts
had been unknown to his friends and
employers for more than three weeks.
He was located early yesterday by
Harry Hope, travelling man, and a
cousin Of DR.. d. H. Hope of Cape Cir
ardcau. Mr.. Hope, who had been =
close friend of Mr.. Bergman, found
the latter at the home of Mrs. William
T. Griffith, who conducts a boarding
house at 52O4 Maple avenue.
Bergman told Mr.. Hope that he had
kept away from his friends becausc
they worried him with their advice.
He said he did not EXPECT to return to
his employment, and requested Nr.
Hope not to inform his friends that
he was at the boarding house.
After futile efforts to comfort h.in,
Hope let the Griffith home, af.cr
promising Bermgan that ne would 70
turn later in tire day. ShortlE aft
o'clocl, he went bacl, to the Nan.o
avenue boarding house and was admit
ted by Mrs. Griffith.
Just go right into his roon," n.
said. Hope stepped 70 the door Of ="
room occupied by Bergman and tap
ped gently. There was not rcsrors"
and he opened the door thinking IL.
his friend was asleep.
Bergman was lying on the bed fully
dressed and the odor Of carb0ljc acid
was noticeable. Beside the bed lag a.:
empty vial on the floor. Hope step
ped toward him, but the pallid fac
told the story of the tragedy. He rush
cd from the room and notified Mr..
Griffith. A physician was summoned.
but he pronounced Bergman dead
The body WAS removed to the NJ
que and later taken to an under
establishment at the requc"
Saiesmanager'S friends.
1t is believed b.
Bergman had planned
many days ago, and that
the poison soon after Hol
yesterday morning.
Bergman, who was SO years
has been calling upon mcrchm
Cape Girardeau, Jackson and all o.
Southeast Missouri towns for
than fifteen years. He was one Of
best liked travelling men who can
this city. For several years he
been manager Of the sales depart
of the Rice-StiX. Dry Goods Conn
and under him worked twenty IT
ing men.
But Bcrgman's advancement III ...
keep him away from his fricn.
Southeast Missouri Less than a L ....
ago he made 4 tour Of this Iii
visiting the merchants of this eli
was here the day Ike Caldwell d '...
ed for New York City to buy
for the new Caldwell-Sherman
and was invited by Mr.. Caldy
accompany him as far as st.
Mr.. Bergman declined, but wen' ~.
Louis the following day.
He visited his office the da .r
his arrival in St. Louis, and II d. &C.
appeared. His whereabouts Isl 40,
been known to either friends ." .m-
pIoyers, although they had pei -.-g,nl-
" searched for him. 1t was feared
that he had left the city.
Mr. Hope sent a telegram 4. :
Behrens, manager of Glenn's, short
time after Bergman's body w t.u Z
yesterday afternoon. Mr.. Bel Ag,
been a close friend Of Mr.. .ar
for many years.
~Only last summer l spert several
nights with Mr.. Bergman" at
Bchrens last night. "He stuff aa from
melancholia almost Constant end
was unable to sleep. DurirH So visit /
last summer ] sat in the cogy. horse
park with him until long a.ser rf1-
night, but / could never get e.fr -o .- .
lieve that his case was not q '2a".
one
Il urged him to go to h. ia a-G !
take a long rest, but ne re'1,rG. Re .
seemed TO be in constant Z 81 -.
operation. 4 feel like | sh, .a- -
get away from all of my .-- ne .
told ne one night last SUM .a-
day ! think l shall go aw-