A Dead Body Found in Langworthy’s Hollow - 1865

KLINGER, CANTILLON, WARMHOTZ, JAEGER, CARMADY, LANGWORTHY

Posted By: Cheryl Locher Moonen (email)
Date: 7/6/2016 at 10:04:22

The Democratic Herald – Sept. 1, 1865

A SUPPOSED SUICIDE
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A Dead Body Found in
Langworthy’s Hollow
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On Thursday morning, Mr. Wm. Warmhotz, while searching for his cow up Langworthy’s Hollow, came upon the body of a man lying face downwards, in the path through the brush between Mr. Carmady’s house and Jaeger’s old distillery. A Springfield musket was lying at the foot of the body with the muzzle pointed towards it. Mr. Warmholz supposed it to be someone sleeping took hold of the coat collar and began a vigorous shaking to arouse him, but obtaining a view of the face blackened by exposure after a violent death, he discovered he was “waking up the wrong passenger,” and took to his heels with all possible speed to give the alarm. Coroner Cantillon was notified of the findings of the body, and he forthwith summoned a jury for an inquest. A wound, evidently caused by the gun shot, was found just below the breast bone, but it was too large to be caused by a bullet, and the supposition is that it was caused by a charge by shot on a very close range. All the circumstances of the position of the body, the gun, etc. seem to indicate that it was a case of suicide. Some shot, and detonating caps were found in the pocket of the dead man, as was also a photograph of a woman apparently between 25 to 30 years of age. In the case and under the photograph were fragments of a German Bible. No papers were found upon the body, nor was there any money. The middle finger of the left hand was off. The body was evidently that of a man from 25 to 30 years of age, perhaps a German. It is strongly built, five feet eight inches high, dark hair with a slight tinge of brown, and smoothly shaved face. It was dressed in a pair of soldiers blue pants, a wine colored business coat with one military button, a new white flannel shirt, and had on a pair of high buckled shoes. The appearance of the body indicated that it had been lying in the place where found for two to three days, decomposition having set in. No other facts were brought out in the inquest.

LATER – Since writing the above we learn that the body found was that of Henry L. Klinger. He had been a solider and resided in this city, on the corner of Clay and 17th Streets. His wife and one child still reside there. The photograph was a likeness of his wife. When informed what had occurred she fainted repeatedly, and with great difficulty was brought to.

He left home on Tuesday to hunt, and his friends have since been very anxious about him. It appears that Klinger came home from the army about three weeks ago, partially deranged, and it is supposed while laboring under insanity he took his life. Such will undoubtedly be the verdict of the coroner’s jury this morning.