The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1916-07-13

Frank Foster, famiharly known about
Kehosha as "Shorty Foster" died at
the Kenosha hospital just before eight
O'Clock Tuesday evening as a result of
injuries received four hours earlier
when he plunged from one of the fourth
story windows of the Public Service
building on Market Square. Dropping
nearly fifty feet he fell to the cement
sidewalk in front of the building and
ne was picked up a mangled mass of
broken bones and bruised flesh. He
was taken to the Kenosha hospital in
an ambulance and physicians attempt
ed to save his life. He never re-
gained consciousness and died Just be-
fore eight clock.
The facts in regard to the fatal in
jury of Foster viii probably always
remain mystery, but the police Of
fcers who investigated the case are in
clined to believe that Foster Ieaped
from the window with the intent of
committing suicide. Half an hour be-
fore he was picked up on the sidewalk
he had hacked his wrist with a knife
at his home, 486 Pomeroy street, and
only a minute after the police had
aided in picking up the mangled body
on Market Square the headquarters
received a telephone message from the
wife of Foster telling of his attempt
at suicide and asking the police to
make an effort to find him and care for
him. The window sill from which Fos-
ter plunged to death was smeared with
blood and it is thought that this blood
had flowed freely from the wound
which he had made in his wrist.
Foster had been sick for long time.
He believed that he was a victim of
tuberculosis and for the past few days
he had been showing signs of increas-
ing weakness. Last Saturday he had
been forced to give up his work as
the operator of the elevator in the
building from which he plunged to
death on account of his condition. He
had gone to the general offices of the
Wisconsin Gas and Electric Company
only few minutes before he plunged
from the window. He had ten DAYS
wages coming and he had announced
his intention of going to the fourth
floor of the building to get his money In
stead of going to the Offices he wand
cred about the building. Employees
of the company who saw him in the
building declared that he appeared to
be distracted. He walked up to the
fourth floor Of the building and went
in to the large room at the west side
which is used for the tsafety frst''
meetings of the employees of the COM
pany. The room was empty and no
one saw Foster go into it. Several
people who were walking along Mar
ket Square on the other side of the
street saw him posed on the sill Of the
window for a minute before he fell to
the walk below. These people declared
that they could not tell whether his
fall was intentional or an accident.
The body was removed to the Han
sen morgue on Tuesday night and
Coroner Millager is investigating the
case.
Frank Foster had lived in Kenosba
for more than twenty-five years. He
was forty-six years of age and is sur
vived by his widow
Foster IS first employment in Kenosha
was that Of bartender, but after he
gave up this work he accepted employ
ment with the livery commands in tina
city as driver Nearly year ago
he became an employee of the Wiscon-
sin Gas and Electric Company and
during the past winter he worked as a
fagman. for the company at the Mar
ket street crossing. Three months ago
he was taken into the building as the
operator of the elevator. He had been
a faithful man at this work and he
laid off only when the condition of his
health made it impossible for him to
continue work.