Evening Republican, Volume 16, Number 174, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 22 July 1912 — ROSELAWN MAN COMMITED SUICIDE LAST FRIDAY. [ARTICLE]

ROSELAWN MAN COMMITED SUICIDE LAST FRIDAY.

Despondent Over 11l Health, Matt Hopper Hangs Self in Woods Buck of His Home.

Matt Hopper, despondent over prolonged ill health,.a laborer living at Roselawn, committed suicide last Friday by hanging himself’ His body was found in a woods near his home, suspended from a tree with a rope around his neck.

The last time Hopper was seen was Friday morning, but his body was not discovered until Saturday evening at about 5 o’clock. Until that time it was not known or even suspected that he had taken hj< own life, as he gave no inkling of his intended .action. Sometime Friday morning he wrote a check on a Roselawn bank, calling for all the money he had on deposit there. He gave this to his wife and immediately left the house. As he was not seen by anyone'afterwards, it is presumed that he went straight to the woods and hanged himself.

Mr. Hopper had been in poor health for the past two years, suffering from malarial and liver trouble. He had doctored- considerably but received little benefit of it, at least he thought not. During all this time, he was very despondent and. his spirits at times sunk deeply in dejection, at no time, as far as we know, was he ever known to threaten taking his own life. He gave no intimation of self-destruction when he left his home and left no note or letter of explanation. He is quoted .as having said and often repeated that he had but a short time to live. It is supposed that the fatal deed was perpetrated while in a fit of despondency. Mr. Hopper was about 35 years of age and left a wife and two young sons, who were dependent on him for support, He was a brother of Bert Hopper, of this city. The funeral was held today. - , : Misses Avaline and Geraldihe Kindig, of Monticello, came Saturday evening for a couple of weeks’ visit here with Miss Grace Norris and other friends. *