THROUGH THE HEART
Young Frank Straub Shoots Himself, at Waldo
DISSIPATION TO SELF-DESTRUCTION.
The Deed Was Committed Friday Night Upon the Streets of the
Little Village
He Goes About the Dreadful Work with Remarkable Deliberation.
Frank Straub, a young man and single, and a resident of Waldo,
committed suicide at that place Friday evening at about the hour of 8 o'clock,
shooting himself through the heart with a 38 calliber revolver which he
had borrowed for the occasion.
At the house selected by the suicide to destroy his life, the little
village that had been so well schooled in sensations was enjoying the quiet
of the evening around their firesides. A single pistol shot rang
out upon the air. There were hurried investigations and young Straub
was found prostrate upon the public street, with the blood gushing from
a bullet hole in his breast. To the acquaintances who bent over him
there was an inarticulate "good bye, boys," and the life of the young man
had gone out to its maker.
The shooting had occurred in the presence of William Bensley,
an acquaintance of Straub's, and was done so suddenly and unexpectedly
that Bensley had not time to raise a hand in protestation or to prevent
the commission of the deed. Straub met Bensley in front of Gabler's
store and accosted him, stating that he was going to commit suicide and
bade him goodbye. It was then that he stepped back, and raising the
weapon to his breast, fired.
The dead body of Straub was picked up from the sidewalk where it
had fallen and carried to the town hall. The report of the suicide
was brought to this city late Friday night and Coroner Maddox notified.
Straub was a well-known young man of Waldo, having spent all his
life in that place, where he resided with his parents, he being the oldest
in the family of John Straub. He was given to dissipation,
a habit that was undoubtedly the primary cause of his self-destruction.
There seems no doubt that despondency as a result of his habits of drinking
excessively led him to take his own life. Following a spree he was
frequently give to these attacks of despondency, when he would make endeavors
to reform, but would as often fail, and on such occasions has made frequent
threats of suiciding.
The deceased was 28 years of age. When the coroner returned
from Waldo at noon the body was still lying at the town hall, but preparations
were being made to remove the remains to his home. Arrangements for
the funeral were awaiting a response from relatives of deceased.
The particulars of Straub's movements on the evening that he suicided
are given in the coroner's investigation below.
CORONER'S EXAMINATION.
Dr. Maddox Goes to Waldo and Investigates the Circumstances
of the Suicide.
Coroner Maddox went to Waldo this morning and made a full investigation
of the suicide and the circumstances leading to it, taking the testimony
of those who had paid any particular attenton to Straub's actons during
the evening he destroyed his life.
J.B. Corbin testified that he saw Frank Straub for
the last time Friday evening about 8 o'clock, when Straub went to his house
and asked him to loan him his revolver to go coon hunting, and he was given
the pistol, after which Corbin saw him no more until after the man was
dead. Straub deposited $4 with Corbin for the safe return of the
gun.
J.M. Francis testified that Straub visited his store about
7:10 o'clock Friday evening, and after drawing a pistol from his pocket
asked Francis to load it for him, but the latter refused the request and
remarked to Straub that he should be careful or he would shoot somebody.
The young man replied that if he did it would be nobody but himself.
Twenty minutes later Francis was told that Straub had killed himself.
Deceased loaded the gun himself at Francis' place.
William Bensley stated that he saw Straub about 8 o'clock
Friday night in front of Gabler's store, that Straub shook hands with him
and bid him good bye, stating at the same time that he was going to kill
himself. He then stepped back, drew a pistol and shot himself in
the breast. Bensley went to the man and found him still breathing.
Dr. Dombaugh testified that the deceased came to his barn
Friday morning and appeared much depressed. The witness thought that
Straub had been drinking some, but did not consider him drunk at the time. |
