Leslie Hester (1890-1922)

HESTER, NICHOLS, STOUGH, PFLANTZ

Posted By: Dorian Myhre (email)
Date: 5/17/2021 at 16:53:14

From Nevada Evening Journal February 22, 1922 (page 1)

DESPONDENT, AMES MAN SUICIDED

LESTER HESTER DRANK CARBOLIC ACID AND ENDED HIS TROUBLES.

Special to the Journal.
Ames, Feb. 22--Lester Hester, despondent over health and disappointed in love took his own life by drinking the co---ts of a two ounce vial of carbolic acid, at his room in the Ames hotel Monday evening.

Earlier in the evening he head attended a local theatre and from there he had gone to his hotel where he had engaged in the sp---d religious discussion with friends before retiring to bed room. Shortly after he had gone to his room his roommate Frank Whitaker went up and found him lying upon his bed, groaning in terrible agony. Physicians were called but their efforts to save him were of no avail.

He had not been well fro some time and had often threatened suicide according to the men with whom he worked.

He had been very attentive to Mrs. Mary Eaton, at whose home he boarded for some time and had frequently asked her to marry him. She had accepted his friendship but had discouraged further attentions and refused to marry him.

When interviewed Tuesday at her home at 419 Lincoln Way, Miss Eaton was badly broken up over the affair.

"Lester had been boarding at our home for some time," she said, "and had been very attentive to me. I looked upon him as a friend, but nothing more. He had always been very courteous and attentive, and trusted me wonderfully. He was the best friend anyone could wish to have."

Hester was born on a farm two miles east of Ames. His father, J. W Hester moved to Dallas Center when Lester was a boy. But the boy returned to Ames in 1914 and has been living here since working most of the time for Dragoun.

His first wife died three years ago leaving two children. The boy, Frank, in now 10, and the girl, Charlene, is 5. They live with his wife's sister at Webb.

Hester married again a year later, but had separated from his second wife.

In addition to his children and his father, Hester leaves a brother, Harry, who is employed at the Chi Phi house in Ames, and a sister, Mrs. Edward Hoy, who lived in Illinois.

No inquest was held over the body, but Coroner Geroge E. Keltner of Huxley made an examination. It will be shipped tomorrow to Webb for burial there.

SUBMITTER'S NOTE: The name of the deceased was Leslie Hester, not Lester Hester. He was the son of John W. Hester and Margaret "Maggie" Nichols. He married to (1) Ethel Stough, daughter of James Edward "Edward" Stough and Margaret Elretta Hiett/Hiatt on 18 October 1911 in Spencer, Clay County, Iowa. Ethel (Stough) Hester died in 1919 and Leslie married to (2) Gertrude M. Pflantz on 29 March 1920 in Des Moines, Polk County, Iowa. Gertrude was the daughter of Frank J. Pflantz and Anna Schafer.