SUICIDE AT WEST UNION-John Rick-1876

RICK, BENTON

Posted By: CHERYL MOONEN (email)
Date: 8/23/2018 at 12:07:10

Dubuque Daily Times, Thursday, Apr 27, 1876, Dubuque, IA, Page: 4

SUICIDE AT WEST UNION

Special Correspondence of the Dubuque Times.
WEST UNION, April 25th

Yesterday when the noon train stopped here from Postville, an insane man, named John Rick, living near Elkader, Clayton County, who was in charge of Sheriff Benton, jumped from the train and ran to a grove nearby. He was pursued by the sheriff and a number of citizens, and after a few hours chase was captured, and brought into town. For safe keeping the sheriff had him put in “lock-up” for the night, in order to take the 6 o’clock morning train to the asylum at Independence. On visiting him at his cell at 5 o’clock this morning he was found hanging by the neck, cold and lifeless. He had tied a strong handkerchief loosely around his neck, and fastened the two ends to a bar of the window grate which was only four from the floor, and was resting on his right foot and left knee, and in this strange position had strangled himself. The deceased was a German by birth, about forty years of age, a man of good repute, a quiet and inoffensive citizen. His insanity was of recent date, and said was caused by the infidelity of his wife. If this is true, we think no one will envy her her feelings for the remainder of her life.