Jasper County Democrat, Volume 15, Number 12, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 18 May 1912 — SUICIDE IN JORDAN TP. [ARTICLE]

SUICIDE IN JORDAN TP.

Mrs. John Loehrke Ends Life With Carbolic Acid. Mrs. John Loehrke, aged 25 years, committed suicide Tuesday afternoon about three o’clock at her home 6 % 'miles south and 2 miles east of Rensselaer, on what is known as the Mala Garrison farm, by taking carbolic acid. Mr. Loehrke had come to Rensselaer with a load of hogs, and on returning homo about 3 o’clock found his wife dead. They had a 6-ounee bottle of carbolic acid in the house that was being used to treat a horse. How much the woman took is not known, but she had apparently gone to the cupboard where the bottle of acid was, took a cup and poured a quantity in the cup, put the bottle back on the shelf, got a dipper of water and with the cup of acid and water went in the bedroom, clot-ed the bedroom door and toon the deadly draught after which she fell back oh the bed.

Coroner Wright, who was called out to the place at once, pronounced it a clear case of suicide although what prompted the act is unknown. The couple had been married about six months. Mr. Loehrke was a bachelor and his wife was cook in a hotel at Gilman, 111., when he married her. He was about 20 years older than the woman. They had moved to the Garrison 'farm, which he had bought, only a short time ago. He did not work the farm, but had the land rented to Conrad Shaffer who was ” working in a field not Car from the house ard saw the woman about the yard at noon and also smelled dinner cooking. She had eaten some chicken for dinner and had her bread baking in the oven. The couple had apparently gotten along nicely together and Mr. Loenrke stated they had never had any trouble, and he could give no reason for the act. It was evidently a sudden impulse that prompted her to take her life.

The body was shipped back to Illinois for burial.