The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1922-04-20
SUICIDE LEAVES
LONG LETTER OF
EXPLANATION
Document Found Among Effects
Of L. F. Hursthouse Shows
Worried, Unbalanced Mind

The pathos in the suicide of L. F.
Hursthouse was increased Friday af-
ternoon by the finding among his eff
fects OF a document in which his dis
tressed mind attempted to set forth
the reasons for the deed, which he
had evidently been contemplating for
some time. Checks representing his
entire salary from Fl. T. Smith, at
whose filing station he was employ
ed, were also found uncashed in his
room at 20 West Main street.
The coroners jury which adjourn
ed after a short session Friday morn
ing, reconvened this morning. The
manuscript left by the deceased was
introduced as evidence and verdict
CT suicide was returned.
1t is estimated that between two
and three thousand people viewed the
body at the Gentry-Futch morgue up
to 2 o'clock Friday. Many of those
who came were well acquainted with
the dead man, but failed to recognize
his slim. rudy features in the pale,
swollen face, with it's discolOred eye
lids.
The body is now lying in the Cen
try-Futch chapel in a gray casket
covered with flowers, wreath having
been sent by the local post Of the
American Legion, tribute to Cap
tain Hursthouse as a soldier of the
allies in the world war. Funeral serv-
ices will lie held this afternoon at
o'clock at the Galloway cemetery, DR..
J. M. Gross, pastor of the First Meth
odist church, officiating.
Mr.. Hursthouse was born in New
Zealand over thirty-siX years ago,
and has been in this country three
years. Nothing is known here as to
what relatives he may leave in New
Zealand, his only surviving relative
here being his wife.
Mr.. HurSthOuSe'S Statement
Following is the written statement
left by Mr. Hursthouse and found in
his room after his death. 1t bears
no salutation and is dated January
90:
81 have for weeks lin fact ever
since the storm last October, think
it was) known that | had made an
awful mess of things Up until then
l thought everything was all right,
and l had no idea that | was no.
living an honorable, straight ife. l
found out, or realized that, through
stupidity, carelessness, or some such
fault, l had gotten things into a thor
oughly bad state, which meant seri-
Gus loss to others. Being thoroughly
disguised with myself and finding
myself unable to see any way of get
ting things right and fearing that |
would go quite insane, l ende>vored
to sell what l could as soon as posi-
Bile in order to forward any money
realized to A. C. Dent, Bank of
Queensland, Queensland, Australia,
to whom I owed over $S,4OO as
minimum. l sold the farm and sent
$4,000 through the State Bank of
Lakeland. l wrote to Mr.. Dent tell
ing him what the situation was here
and explained how it had come
about. 1 warned him that I felt
quite unable to cope with the situa
ton. and that there was little hope
of his receiving any further money
The only remaining assets are money
in the State Bank, money due from
J. Wilson of Wilson Bros, dealers in
mules, Lakeland. Mr.. Wilson took
my mules to sell and agreed to give
me $500 net for them but | was to
give him time to negotiate his deals.
Mr.. Price (Ford experD took my
Ford and agreed to sell it as best he
could. He is to deduct from price
realized his charges for repairing
and selling, etc. have left some odd