The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1920-07-15
SUICIDES BODY
FOUND IN ROOM
Body of Burr Gustafson
Found Hanging from
Head of His Bed.
MISSING SINCE SUNDAY


fore seven o'clock Friday evening
early Wednesday evening at which
time it is said he appeared to be
happy over the birth of his daughter
and gave no intimation to his friends
Of any troubles.
Wife's Request Leads to Discovery.
Friday afternoon, neignDor women
visiting the wife at the hospital,
learned that Gustafson, sending word
that he was working at nights. had
failed to visit his wife for several
days. Mrs. Gustafson asked the women
to get some clothing for her and when
they went to follow her directions
they found the suicides body.
Gustafson had several times suffer
ed from attacks of heart failure and
it was believed at first that i'll health
had lead him to take his own life. It
was thought that brooding over this
and other troubles, he had decided to
end it all by killing himself.
No Significance to Letter.
On the table in the room where the
dead man was found letter was dis
covered which it was thought at first
might clear up some of the mystery
surrounding his death. This letter.
however, merely told of the coming of
three children, cousins of Gustafson,
when friends went there to investi
gate his strange disappearance since
last Wednesday evening. The man had
evidently been dead for several days
as the body was in an advanced stage
of putrefaetion.
The grewsome discovery was made
by Mrs. Frank Burke, who lives in an
other apartment of the house, and by
neighbor woman, who had gone to
the rooms to seek Gustafson at the
request of his wife, who is at the
Kenosha hospital following the birth
of daughter five days ago. An in
vestigation by Coroner Truman T,
Parker followed the finding of the body
and at his direction it was cut down
and taken to the Hansen mortuary to
be prepared for burial.
Made Moose of Clothes Line.
It is believed that Gustafson COM
mitted suicide some time Wednesday
He had taken a piece of clothes line
rope and made moose for his neck
Then tying the end of the rope with
but little play to the head of his bed
he had evidently thrown himself off the
bed and broken his neck. There was
no evidence that there had been any
struggle and it is believed that he
was killed instantly.
The man was seen on Sunday morn.
ing when he had talked with Harold
Snider and Eldon Cox, two roomers al
the house. Later in the morning he
was also seen by one of the women in
the neighborhood but because he had
lived in the house only short time, No
one had noticed his disappearance
This morning Investigation revealed
that friends Of Gustafson had seen him
| to Kenosha from their home in Chicago
to spend a little vacation here. Neigh.
bors say that these children reached
here on Monday and failing to find
their cousin had returned to the city
1t is believed that the deceased NAV
have brooded over this incident and ii
may have helped to bring him to the
rash decision which ended his life.
May Have Been MOonshine.
Another clew, which seems more
likely to have the explanation for ths
tragedy, is that Gustafson had beer
drinking and that under the influence
of "moonshine" liquor he may have
brooded over fancied troubles and
been lead to take his life. The friends
who saw him on wednesday admitted
that he had been drinking and neigh.
bors declare that for several days
prior to his disappearance he had beer
under the influence Of liquor which he
had secured some place or other. 1t is
believed that his financial troubles
| coupled with these affairs may be the
explanation for the deed.
The Gustafsons had lived in the
apartments where he was found dead
only few months, but the neighbors
declared that there had nothing
transpired which would indicate thai
they were unhappy. Because of the
serious condition Of the wife, every eff.
fort is being made to keep her from
learning of the tragedy until she is
recovered sufficiently to be able to
Withstand the shock of it.
Had Lived Here Several Years.
gror Gustafson was born in Swe.
! den but had lived in Kenosha for sew.
eral years. He was for some time
employed at west side saloon, but
more recently had been an employee
of the Nash Motors company.
Coroner Truman 7. Parker held an
informal Inquest today over the re.
mains and, his investigation brought
out the story of the rather grey life
of the man.
Arrangements were made this morn.
ing for holding the funeral services
this afternoon, probably at the Han.
sen Chapel with the interment fol
lowing in the family plot at the Green
Ridge cemetery.
Allies Demand