Isaac Carpenter (ca. 1845-1900)

CARPENTER

Posted By: Dorian Myhre (email)
Date: 9/5/2011 at 20:54:18

From Story County Watchman October 19, 1900

Story City Messenger: ....Our people were startled last Saturday afternoon by the report that old Isaac Carpenter had committed suicide by hanging. The people, where he was staying, began to get somewhat concerned about him, when he did not return in the evening, and started out early Saturday morning to look for him. No trace could be found of him, and getting suspicious they began a thorough search of the barns and sheds on the premises. About one o'clock his hired man happened to see a small hole made in the hay of the hay barn and climbing up there he beheld the horrible sight which so shocked him that he immediately slid to the ground and reported his discovery. He was found hanging in the loft of the east hay barn, having piled some hay into a heap and then fastened the rope around the carrier track for the hay fork then placed double noose around his neck and just slid down the incline of th hay pile. He had evidently done the act Friday evening as he had already began to decay when taken down. Mr. Carpenter was about 54 or 55 years old.