John H. Hays (1906)

HAYS

Posted By: Judy Wight Branson
Date: 12/2/2008 at 17:55:15

The Winterset Madisonian
Winterset, Iowa
Thursday, November 22, 1906
Page 1

Took His Own Life -

This community was startled on last Friday by the news that John Hays had suicided at Leavenworth, Kansas, by drinking carbonic acid.

The deceased was well known in Winterset and in the Worthington neighborhood where he lived many years before locating in Winterset.

For a number of years he was engaged in the poultry and produce business and with fair success.

He was a genial, well liked fellow and enjoyed the confidences of his business associates and the public, but of late years was the victim of the drink habit and other dissipations that lead to his downfall and resulted in the destruction of his own life. For the past few years he resided in Kansas, while his family have continued to live in Winterset.

The body was brought here for burial and the funeral service and burial was at Worthington church on Sunday at 10:30 a.m.

His untimely death is mourned by the wife, six children, three brothers and a sister, and to them the sympathy of the people of this community will be extended in the fullest measure.
_______________________

The Winterset News
Winterset, Iowa
Friday, November 23, 1906
Page 1, Column 2

DRINKS CARBOLIC ACID

John Hays Kills Himself in Leavenworth, Kansas. A Winterset Man

John Hays and in the poultry business in the city, committed suicide in Leavenworth, Kansas, last week by drinking a bottle of carbolic acid. Despondent, wrecked by drink and in deep financial trouble, the unhappy man bought fifteen cents worth of carbolic acid. Drinking it all, Hays walked from his saloon down the street nearly a block before he fell in agony. The deadly poison in a few moments produced a stupor from which he never awoke, dying twelve hours later.

Old business friends in Kansas City and Leavenworth sent the body of the unfortunate man home before Leonard Hill and Will Hays, his brother, telegraphed to by the police of the city, could arrive. The body arrived in East Peru Saturday and was buried in Worthington Cemetery Sunday, the Maccabee lodge of Winterset taking charge of the funeral ceremonies.

Hays was a son of Eb Hays, of Douglas township, and belongs to one of the most respected and influential families of the county.

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