Schwier, Fred (died 1904)

SCHWIER

Posted By: Mary Holub, volunteer (email)
Date: 2/18/2009 at 09:54:33

From: Le Mars Sentinel, August 12, 1904

FARMER HANGS HIMSELF

Fred Schwier Takes His Own Life Without Apparent Motive

WIFE FINDS THE LIFELESS BODY

He Was Happy in His Domestic Relations and Well Fixed Financially. The Tragedy is a Shock to the Community Where He Lived

On going out into the farm yard at an early hour on Wednesday morning to gather cobs with which to light a fire in order to get breakfast, Mrs. Fred Schwier was confronted by a gruesome and appalling sight. From a beam extending between two corn cribs, dangling at a rope’s end was the lifeless body of her husband.

Mrs. Schwier screamed loudly for assistance and the other inmates of the farm came quickly to her aid. Neighbors soon arrived on the spot and the body from which life had been extinct for some time was cut down.

The circumstances surrounding the tragedy point conclusively to suicide but why Fred Schwier should take his own life remains a mystery to his relatives and friends. Well to do, owning a quarter section of land in Grant township, two miles west of Struble, where the tragedy occurred, loved by his wife and family, like and respected by his neighbors, prosperous in no small degree, with no bad habits, a religious man and a regular church attendant, those who know him are at a loss to account for his rash act.

Mr. Schwier was in Struble on Tuesday where he marketed some hogs. He greeted many acquaintances while in town and was apparently in his cheerful and equable frame of mind. He took out a load of binding twine at his home where he arrived about seven o’clock. He and his hired man, Thos Kyle, did up all the chores and finished up the work for the night. Mrs. Werley, a sister of Mrs. Schwier, was visiting with the family and the women and children went upstairs to sleep. They retired after nine o’clock leaving Mr. Schwier and Kyle to sleep downstairs. In the morning it was found that Schwier had stated he was going to help a neighbor, called Harms, thresh in the morning and supposed that Schwier had gone over to the Harm place.

When found the body was cold.

From appearances Schwier had deliberately gone to work and made sure of ending his life. He chose a place in a covered driveway between two corncribs. Stretched between the two cribs were some boards. Schwier climbed up and sat on these boards, as the imprint in the dust shows, and adjusts noose taking an old and frayed rope, which he tied securely round his neck. He then jumped off, dislocating his neck in the fall. When found his feet were about three feet from the ground.

John Beely, the coroner, was informed of the tragic affair by telephone on Wednesday morning shortly after 8 o’clock and drove out to the place. An inquest was held. Ed Durband, C.P. Rath and Geo. Ostermann being empanelled as jurors. They examined a number of witnesses, the dead man’s wife and Kyle, the hired man, being the principal witnesses. A number of neighbors also testified to coming over and seeing the body hanging between the corn cribs. After hearing the evidence the jury returned a verdict to the effect that the deceased came to his death by hanging himself.

Schwier was about forty years of age, and has lived in the county more than twenty years. He was married and leaves a wife and two children. He was well known by many people in this city, who speak in high terms of him and who were shocked to learn of his inexplicable act.
There is only one theory advanced which is considered tenable and that is that Mr. Schwier suffered at times from violent and severe headache. When these attacks came on he suffered great pain from them and they sometimes were so acute as to prevent his working. It is stated that he complained of headache on Tuesday afternoon.

The funeral will be held today at the residence in Grant township at eleven o’clock and the remains brought to Le Mars for interment.

Tombstone Photo
 

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