South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1921-08-06
SWARTZ' BODY
RECOVERED BY
POLICE
Barney Swartz. %, for Half
Century a Studebaker En-
Ploye, a Suicide.
PEDESTRIANS SEE ACT
Workers Take Body From
River Bed-Ill Health Be
heved Responsible.

Barney SwaTtz. who for more than
so years was employed as a fore
man at the Studebazer Mig. Co,
committed suicide by drowning short
ly after four O'Clock Friday after
noon. when he jumped into the 81.
Joseph river of the Sample 81.
bridge. several persons saw the old
man leap from the bridge and i'm
mediately notified the police. His
body was recovered about two hours
later under the Grand Trunk rail-
way bridge
Dependency. old age, and a pro-
ionged illness have been given as
reasons for his act. That he con-
templated taking his own .!fe was
proved. the police say by the con-
tents Of a letter addressed TO his
daughter. Mrs. Alma Reed. 1101 s.
Lafayette blvd.
Mr.. Swartz for the past few years
has been living with his daughter.
Mrs. Harry Seemann, haywood. IL.
He arrived in South Bend Thursday
morning from the Illinois town for
a visit. According 20 Henry A.
Duncker. SIS Lincoln way r. he
stayed at the Duncker home Thurs
day night. He is also said 20 have
told Mr.. Duncker at that time that
he was going 10 end his life in the
river.
Body FntangIed i'm Weeds.
Immediately after the police were
notified Of the drowning, the motor
boat in charge Of Sergt Olmstead
and officer IaFortune began drag
ging the river His body was dis
/ covered by a citizen when 81 came
| 10 the surface near the railway
bridge. The police were again mott
hed and the patrol ambulance IN
charge Of Sergt. Luther and Oncer
Diver was detailed 20 the scene.
The body had become entanEfed
in some weeds just below the bridge
and the officers succeeded in locat-
ing It with the aid Of graphing
hooks. The motor boat was then
summoned and Olmstead and la
Fortune brought the body 20 shore.
Coroner &. B. Crumpac1er was noti-
fed and he ordered the officers 20
remove it 10 the Orvis undertaking
parlors
Mr.. Swartz was well known IN
South Bend labor circles. having
established a record term Of service
at the Studebaker plant He had
been a resident of this city all his
life. and It was not until recently
that he was forced TO give up his
employment because Of old age.
The death Of Mr.. Swartz marks
the passing OF one Of the real pi0n-
GERS of South Bend. and also a man
who had watched the StUdebaker
Mfg Co. grow from a small wagon
and harness making concern TO one
of the largest automobile industries
in the world ar. Swartz bean as
wagon maker In the local plant
shortly after the institution was
: founded in this city by the now
I famous Studebaker brothers.
Threatened TO End life
His skill as q workman and his
Hltab BILE character soon won him the
confidence Of his employers and he
was promoted 10 the rank Of fore
man. He held this position until
the years Of hard work began TO
wear him down and until he was
finally forced 20 abandon his lie
work. and seek employment Of a
less strenuous nature
II is said soon after he severed
his relations with the Studeba ker
/ people. he gradually became des-
pendent when ne could not md work
that satisfied him. and on frequent
+ occasions he made threats 10 end
his life
He IS survived BY the following
children: Mrs. Harry Seemann.
haywood. III; Mrs. Dave Dennis.
Dowagiac. Mich; Mrs. Neal Peter
son. Barney Swartz. Jr. and John
Swartz. all Of Chicago. and Mrs.
Alma Reed. Of this city.
The funeral arrangements have
not been completed.