Evening Republican, Volume 17, Number 101, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 28 April 1913 — FUGITIVE COHEE DEAD IN CINCINNATI [ARTICLE]

FUGITIVE COHEE DEAD IN CINCINNATI

Frankfort Message Says Man Jumped Bail After Indictment Probably Suicided. 'i .-i A Frankfort dispatch says that W. H. Cohee the real estate man who skipped out after procuring bail here, following his arrest for alleged fraud, is dead at Cincinnati and is said to have'committed suicide. > Cohee spent considerable time in Rensselaer a year ago as a real estate man, dealing in Louisiana lands. C. P. Wright was associated with him here. Last fall both Cohee and Wright were indicted for alleged embezzlement, Mrs. Anna Wylie being the complainant. Cohee was arrested in Indianapolis and brought; here, where he secured bail, Mrs. George Fate signing a SSOO bond. When the day for trial came he did not show up and ail effort was made to locate him, Mrs. Fate’s son having himself appointed a deputy and making trips to Indianapolis and Lafayette. He could not be located, however, but it was found that the woman who passed for his wife while they cut quite a figure In Rensselaer, was not his wife, but a woman said to be a weil known sport of Tippecanoe county. While here the woman wore diamond rings, brooches and hair ornaments and Cohee talked like a millionaire. Evidently that was all a part of the bluff that went along with the scheme he was pulling off. Mr. Wright was tried, but readily proved that he had limited connection with the transaction and that" Cohee got the money and wap' responsible if any fraud was practiced. It will be a great relief to Mrs. Fate if Gahee is dead, for the bond forfeiture will notion all probability, be made.-.1.f/he has suicided it is in hjJfiHment of Mr. Wright’s proptfesy, for he said that he was convinced Cohee had or would end his own life. The Frankfort dispatch reads as follows: “Relatives in Frankfort this evening received word of the death in Cincinnati of William Henry Cohee, 6Q years old, formerly a prominent businessman of this city and Indianapolis. It was said that Mr. Cohee copimitted suicide. “Mr. Cohee was a member of a prominent Frankfort family and numerous relatives in this city, including his former wife, who divorced him, and four children. One son, Abraham Cohee, is a resident of

Cincinnati. Walter Cohee, another son, is located in Indianapolis. “W. H. Cohee was for many years engaged in various,mercantile bu^i 1 ' ness houses and a grain dealer. /A number of years &go he began the work of promoting the Frankfortr Delphi & Northern traction /line, for which he secured franchises, later turning it over to the 'tfiptonFrankfort Traction comply. " “While located in this* city Mr. Cohee was prominent* in business and fraternal chiles. About four years ago he Wt this city, going to Indianapoliarwhere he was engaged in the real-Estate business.” A dispawh from this morning’s Lafayette/ Journal says that Cohee was found to have hanged himself in tyfieculiar manner. A thin tape, whreh he is supposed to have taken from his valise, was attached to the Drass headboard of the bed, with a noose which almost touched the pillow. Cohee had placed his head through noose and then lay down as calmly as though preparing for sleep. The man’s features were not at all distorted. On a dresser in the room was found a partially emptied chloroform bot-" tie, of which it is believed the man drank before hanging himself, in order to make death doubly sure. When found, Cohee was dressed only in his underwear, the rest of his clothing and personal effects being carelessly scattered about the room. A chambermaid in the hotel had knocked repeatedly at the door and failed to gain access. The maid notified the house carpenter that she could not -open the door, and he looked over the transom and saw Cohee apparently asleep. When the loud knocking of the carpenter failed to arouse the man the door was forced..