Klaver, Wubbo (Weber) (1876-1919)

KLAVER, DEBOER

Posted By: Debbie Greenfield (email)
Date: 11/11/2014 at 09:42:24

Webster City Freeman, Monday, September 15, 1919

BACHELOR COMMITS SUICIDE

Weber Klaver, Aged 44, Takes Strychnine at his Farm Home Near Kamrar

NEPHEW IS PRESENT

"I Signed Some Papers" Said he in Dying Statement

Weber Klaver a well-to-do bachelor aged 44 committed suicide Saturday morning at his farm home two miles south and a mile east of Kamrar by taking strychnine. "I signed some papers at Webster City and I signed them all" were almost his last words, from which relatives and friends suppose that he had worried himself temporarily insane.

Mr. Klaver and his nephew George Klaver Jr lived together. Mr. Klaver got up first that morning, as was his habit, about 6 o'clock and got breakfast. When the nephew came downstairs he noticed that his uncle did not seem well and asked him if he were sick. The latter replied that he was not but as he seemed to steadily grow worse, the nephew insisted in calling a physician. The uncle consented, but as the nephew took down the telephone receiver the former grabbed it from his hand and a tussle between the two ensued.

George finally broke away and went to the home of George Hassebrock a quarter of a mile away. Mr. Hassebrock hurried back and arrived just a few minutes before Mr. Klaver died. All he could get from the dying man was the statement "I have taken something. I signed some papers at Webster City and I signed them all."

Coroner Arch Foster of this city was summoned and held an inquest. The jury composed of George Hassebrock, W. S. Brownfield and Harm Temple, found that Mr. Klver "came to his death from strychnine administered by his own hand."

Drs. E. W. Slater of Jewell and W. W. Wyatt of this city were called, but Mr. Klaver was dead when they arrived. They found a strychnine bottle in the room, however. It was empty and there was every evidence that Mr. Klaver had used this with suicidal intent.

Among friends and relatives there is much speculation as to what papers Mr. Klaver referred to when he said he had signed papers in this city. So far as known, he had signed nothing of late other than the last government questionnaire sent out to all men up to 45 years of age. For some reason this must have preyed on his mind, though friends and relatives always looked upon him as a man of unusually happy and sunny disposition and none had seen any evidence of moroseness on his part. No other solution of his reference to papers can be found, however, and it is supposed that in secret he worried over this through failure on his part possibly to fully understand it.

The parents of Mr. Klaver are old and highly respected residents of Kamrar [Geerd & Philipbena DeBoer Klaver]. He also has four brothers, all prominent farmers in the Kamrar vicinity. They are Phillip, Anko, H. G. and G. G. Klaver.

Weber Klaver was widely known as a man of the best personal standing and a hard worker on his farm. There can be no other conception of his suicide than that he was temporarily insane over some fancied trouble about his questionnaire. The deep sympathy of all the community goes out unstintedly to the aged parents, the brothers and other relativbes, all of them substantial well known and prominent people in the Kamrar vicinity.