Gerhard PRULL

PRULL

Posted By: Sarah Thorson Little (email)
Date: 9/19/2015 at 20:50:57

January 30, 1848 ---- November 12, 1902

SUICIDES BY POISONING

Gerald Prull A Farmer of Amsterdam Ends Life by Taking Hog Medicine.

Worrying over wrong done to creditors of a friend and threatened with lawsuits which he had been unfortunately drawn into, Gerhard Prull took his own life Wednesday by means of hog cholera medicine. During that day he asked if there was any strychnine or gun shells in the house and seemed very restless and worried. He wrote two letters both in German, one to his son Charley, and one to Geo. W. Mason. Both were received and opened in the afternoon after his death.

About three o'clock his youngest son Louie saw him take some powder out of a package, place it in a bottle, then go over to the tank and fill the bottle with water. He then went to the barn, where it is supposed he took the poison dose, threw away the bottle. Immediately coming to the house he was seen by the other children present, Lena and Mary, to be acting strangely. Seating himself in a rocking chair in the south room he began to show symptoms of the poison, repeatedly throwing his hands over his head and violently shaking. His daughter Lena attempted to give him a glass of milk as an emetic, but he could not take it. She then ran to the nearest neighbor, Jas. Wagner, nearly one-half mile, and telephoned to Doctor Judd, of this city, for his attendance. Returning, she found the unfortunate man lying on the floor and upon raising his head there was slight respiration. His death probably occurred within 30 minutes after taking the dose. The body lay with feet toward the north-east door, and upon the advice of the coroner was not removed until after he held the inquest. This he did Thursday forenoon, examining witnesses, taking testimony as to the premeditated act, clearly demonstrating to his satisfaction that death resulted as above stated.

The package of powder was labeled nox vomica, and is believed to have been purchased in Britt about two months ago for a cholera cure. Its principal poisonous parts are strychnine and arsenic and a small amount is sufficient to kill a person.

Britt News Tribune -- Britt, Iowa
November 20, 1902

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Gerhard Prull was born in Germany, near Bremen, and was 55 years of age the 30th of last January. He came to the United States in 1881, settling in Butler county, Iowa. From there he moved to Hancock county in the spring of 1893, residing on a farm 4 1/2 miles northwest, the scene of his death. His first wife, by whom he had eleven children, died in 1897. He remarried, but not proving congenial, a separation was had a year later.

Kanawha Record -- Kanawha, Iowa

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Before taking his life, Prull wrote a couple of letters: one to his son and the other to Geo. W. Mason, of Kanawha. The letters were written in German and when translated read as follows:

"I am very unfortunate (or unhappy) and have made my children unhappy (or unfortunate). The notes Lein and Paul have made are false. Lein's notes are also false; are paid and Paul has given them back to him. Lein is altogether to blame. I have never beat anyone and now I have done it. They two both had a pint when we drank it and that is how it came. I don't know yet how I could do it. I have not slept since. Lein is altogether to blame. Paul would not have done it either. Please look after my poor children some, they are innocent. I have always held them from stealing and cheating and now I do it myself. The $800 is from the land; that belongs to George. Now goodbye, I probably will not be in town again. GERHARD PRULL."

It seems that Knaack was farming near Kanawha and had got heavily in debt; and owing to the bad season was unable to pull through and according to Prull's letter had made a bill of sale of all his effects to Prull and Lein for the purpose of shutting out his creditors. It was this transaction that worked on Prull's mind and caused him to take his life. The letter gave Knaack's creditors a clue and they at once went to work on it and last Friday Lien [sic] settled the matter up by paying all claims. Prull was a man of considerable means and had always born a splendid reputation. His remains were brought to Britt last Saturday and buried in the cemetery here by the side of his wife. The affair is a very unfortunate one and the family will have the sympathy of the entire community.

Source: Find A Grave Memorial# 18800076