Harry E. Hanna (1884-1906)

HANNA

Posted By: Dorian Myhre (email)
Date: 5/17/2021 at 16:53:12

From Nevada Evening Journal April 23, 1906 (front page)

HANNA TOOK THE CHLOROFORM ROUTE

No Cause Known for Suicide of Iowa State College Student.

Special to the JOURNAL.
AMES, April 23.--A sudden gloom was cast over the college Friday when it was announced that a student had committed suicide. Harry E. Hanna a freshman in the animal husbandry department, whose home was at Garrison, Ia., in a fit of meloncholy, took his own life by chloroform poisoning, leaving no word of explanation of his rash act. His action was deliberate and premeditated as he purchased a quantity of the poison of a clerk at the Gamble drug store about nine o'clock in the morning returning to the college and to his room at Mrs. Winslow's club house west of the campus, where he saturated a pillow with the fluid, lay down upon it and placed another pillow over his head.

This must have happened about 10:30 as he was found by his room mate at 12:00 o'clock and had apparently been dead an hour. On entering the room, the room mate was attracted by the unusual position of the young man and immediately took the pillow from his face, and noticing that something was wrong called in another party and the two soon discovered that life was extinct, the odor of chloroform telling the story. The college physician was called and announced that death had occured an hour precious.

A coroner's inquest was held about five o'clock. A number of student companions and the druggist, Mr. Gamble acting as witnesses. The verdict returned was, "Suicide by Chloroform Poisoning." The body was moved to Loud's undertaking room where it was prepared for shipment to his home and his family was notified of the affair. The father and a brother-in-law arrived during the night to accompany the body.

A short funeral service was conducted from the undertaking rooms by Dr. O. H. Cessna, Chaplain of the college, being attended by a large body of faculty and student, and the funeral party started on its sad journey hoe at 12:40 Saturday.

In regard to the cause of the suicide very little is known beyond that the young man had bee subject to fits of the blues and of late had been ailing and under the doctor's care. Nothing serious was thought to be the matter, however, and he was thought to be improving, and was more cheerful the last day or two.