Evening Republican, Volume 16, Number 198, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 19 August 1912 — More About the Suicide of Horace Gilbert Saturday. [ARTICLE]

More About the Suicide of Horace Gilbert Saturday.

W. R. Shesler arrived in town Saturday evening from the Peter Buck farm in West Carpenter township, where Horace Gilbert, the farm tenant, took his life Saturday noon. Mr. Shesler was quite broken up by the sad incident and described the man’s death with emotion. He was waiting at the house for Gilbert after Mrs. Gilbert had refused to allow the mortgaged cows to be taken away. He was in the yard as Gilbert and his oldest son drove up in a buggy. He saw Gilbert swaying about in the buggy. His flnst impression was that he was drunk and he asked Mrs. Gilbert if he was intoxicated. Both went to the buggy then, believing that Gilbert had taken suddenly sick. Mr. Shesler smelled the odor from carbolic acid when he approached the buggy. He instructed Mrs. Gilbert to bring him some sweet milk at once and to telephone for a doctor. He dragged Gilbert from the buggy and into the shade beneath & tree. He lived for about 15 minutes. Mr. Shesler remained at the house for some time- and gave what assistance he could to the distracted wife and children. Gilbert was quite well known in Rensselaer, having lived for some time on the* Iliff farm, south of town. He was a very good man but was quite unfortunate in a business way and the needs of his large family kept him always in straightened circumstances and he had a number of creditors here. He had evidently planned the suicide with deliberation and had purchased the carbolic aeid a day or two before the deed was committed. His bad financial condition and a fear that he would be sent to the penitentiary because he had disposed of the mortgaged corn, dobtless caused his rash act. County Coroner W. J. Wright held an inquest at 3 o’clock Saturday afternoon and gave verdict of suicide. The body was placed in charge of a Goodland undertaker and it is understood that the funeral services will be held this Monday afternoon.