Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 36, Number 93, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 15 July 1904 — A CASE OF SUICIDE. [ARTICLE]

A CASE OF SUICIDE.

David Platt Ends Bis life With Carbolic Acid. Some time after five o’oiook Wednesday afternoon tbe shocking news spread among onr people ''and the orowds present for the corner stone laying, that David Platt had committed suicide from taking oarbolio acid, and was dead at the home of his parents. Mr. and Mrs. Charles Platt, on south Van Rensselaer street. It seems that Dave, who had for many years been muoh addicted to the liquor habit, had been drinking a good deal during the day, after a preceding da> of sobriety and hard work. He was not drunk enough however to s'.ow very plainly in his speeoh or aotiune. About i o’oiook he saw bis father who was sitting talking in Mat Wordens harness shop, and asked him for 10 cents. Uncle Charley to'd him be bad had enough liquor, a%d refused. Dave then went to the house, some distance down the street, and soon came back. He then went into Rosenbaum’s saloon and procured a shovel, whioh he handed to his father and asked him to take home. Dave then went around to Larsh’s drug store and asked for a dime’s worth of oarbolio acid. Mr. Lareh asked him what be wanted it for, and Dave said “to make a wash for a man baok here,” indicating tbe direction of the saloons. As he had often bought oarbolio Boid before to use in oleaning work*. Mr. Larsh readily sold him the poison, giving him two ounoes, in a bottle, and reoeiving the pay. Dave then started home again and was notioed by a number of persons, who saw nothing unusual in his notions, though he did not speak to anyone. No one saw him take the poison, but probably he took it soon after passing R, Fendig’s residence, and about a block from his home. Mrs. Mat Worden saw him as he passed her house, and he was then working hie lips and his hands, like he was suffering greatly. As he neared the house his sister, Mrs. Lillie Shields, who was on the baok porob, saw him partly fall against the feuce. He soon regained his feet, and came around to where she was, sank into one chair and leaned over upon another chair, and almost immediately expired. Physicians were sent for, but of course there was no use for their servioes. The oarbolio aoid bottle was in his

pooket, with less than half its contents gone. From the time he took the poison until he was dead was probably not over 15 or 20 minutes. He never spoke after taking it, There is also a report of a man, whose identity is not located, who olaims to have seen Dave taking something out of a bottle, in the rear of one of the saloon. Parties at Duvalls’ livery stable who saw him pass, just before his death also claim to have notioed the smell of the carbolic aoid then. In* dioating that he had already taken the poison. Dave worked hard and well all day Tuesday, helping dean up at the post-office, and was then entirely sober. He expected to go into the oountry Wednesday morning, to work on a farm, but the man did not come after him. He was born in Rensselaer, Deo. / 24,1867, and his age at death was 86 years, 6 months and 19 days. The funeral will be held Saturday afternoon, the exaot hour for whioh not having been deoided upon. If yon need a salt for yonrself or Boys In the near future call on Wildberg this month it’ll pay you.