Gearhart, Frederick d. 1905

GEARHART

Posted By: Volunteer Transcriber
Date: 4/29/2005 at 07:31:52

Newton (IA) Journal March 29, 1905
Suicide at Ira.
Gearhart, Frederick

For the first time in the history of the neighborhood of Ira, a coroner's call was sent in from there on Saturday morning, for an investigation into the death of Fred Gearhart.

For some years past he had been in poor health and recently had shown symptoms of intended suicide. On Saturday morning his granson went to his room to see him and the grandfather said he would not get up just yet and the boy and his mother went to rake the yard. After some little time, about twenty minutes, the boy returned to the bedroom and found the body suspended from the bed post by means of a red bandanna handkerchief around his neck and tied to the bed post.

No inquest was held as all indications were perfectly clear that death came to him while by himself and by his own hand.

The deceased lived just east of Ira and leaves a family of five, including one son, George, who lives in Newton. He has been a resident of that neighborhood for many years and by hard work had accumulated considerable property.

Originally submitted on Thu Oct 17 12:49:11 2002 by Glenda Ebert, gebert45@hotmail.com