Sitzman, Anton George c1905 – 1913

SITSMAN, SITZMAN

Posted By: Joy Moore (email)
Date: 7/20/2020 at 17:45:04

Source: Cresco Plain Dealer May 2, 1913, P-6, C-2

Antone George, the eight-year-old son of Mr. and Mrs. Val Sitsman of LeMars, hanged himself while playing in a barn. His body was found by his brother.
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LeMars Semi-Weekly Sentinel
April 8, 1913 (front page, col 5)

MEETS A TRAGIC FATE
EIGHT YEAR BOY ACCIDENTALLY HANGS HIMSELF
WAS ALONE PLAYING IN THE BARN.
Elder Brother Finds the Little Fellow Strangled and Faints at Horror of the Sight—Son of Mr. and Mrs. Sitzman.

Anton George, the eight year old son of Mr. and Mrs. Val Sitzman, living in Lincoln township, met a tragic fate on Saturday afternoon, which has overwhelmed his parents and brothers and sisters with grief. He was found dead in the barn on the premises by an elder brother, Arnold, aged fifteen, who came in earlier from the field than the others at work there to get the evening chores started.

Anton, who was a sturdy lad, was accustomed to do some chores around the barn putting down bedding and hay until some of the elder ones in the family came along.

The last seen of him alive, he was going into the barn and had with him two puppies with which he was playing and gamboling.

His elder brother, Arnold, on coming in could not find Anton and on looking around was aghast to see the little fellow drawn up against a beam with a rope tightly secured around his neck. He loosened the rope and called his mother, who discovered that her darling was dead, although the little body was still warm. Arnold fainted when he realized the dread truth.

Appearances indicated that the boy had struggled to free himself and that in his efforts had only drawn the rope tighter and strangled himself.
One of his legs was twisted as if he had tried to brace himself.

The rope was attached to a beam in the barn and was used as a chain to fasten across a division in the runwa where hay is thrown down. It is only a few feet from the ground. The supposition is that the lad while playing with the puppies made a loop of the rope on the end where the snap is and tried to get it round one of the puppies neck, and then in play put it around his own neck, snapping it. The snap was not easily unloosed and the child failing to undo it became frightened and in his struggles to release himself choked himself to death.

Anton George was eight years and eight months old and was a strong, active and bright little fellow, always full of life and play.

Besides the bereaved father and mother he leaves a large number of brothers and sisters to mourn his untimely end.

The funeral was held yesterday morning at St. Joseph’s church in Lincoln township.
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~Transcribed by L. Ziemann, County Coordinator