Canine - Albert N.
Source: Lebanon Patriot, Thursday, May 8, 1908
Albert N. Canine, held in custody on insanity charge, committed suicide in the hospital ward of the Boone county jail on last Sunday afternoon. He accomplished his purpose bu using a strip of bed-clothing tied about his neck and attached to the bars of the iron door. His death was due to strangulation, which by thus deliberatey planned.
Canine was a well known man who had long lived in the vicinity of Thorntown. His mind began to fail some time ago and last August he was committed to the central insane asylum at Indianapolis. During his stay in that institution his condition improved and three months treatment appeared to have restored him to the extent that the hospital authorities deemed it safe to release him a furlough. He was thereupon returned to his home near Thorntown. For a time he seemed entirely rational, but more recently he became exceedingly nervous and irritable. His relatives realized that his condition was growing steadily worse, but they kindly encouraged him and endeavored to keep him at home.
On last Saturday evening while Canine was in the house and his step daughter-in-law was in the yard, he got possession of a shot-gun which he fired. The shot penetrated the wall and some of them barley missed the woman. This lead to rumors that he had designed to killing her and it was thought best to have him placed in custody in order that he might be prevented from doing something desperate in his frenzied state of mind. Having been mildly reproached with having endangered the life of his daughter-in-law. Canine became even more melancholy and later remarked to the sheriff that he would rather have given a thousand dollars than to have had it happen.
Relatives deemed it necessary to have the man returned to the asylum, and in response to their request, sheriff McRoberts and deputy, John Casey, went to the Canine home and took charge of him, bringing him to Lebanon, where he was placed in the hospital ward at the jail with the intentions of taking him to the asylum on Monday.
During the forenoon Sunday Canine remained comparatively composed, but in the afternoon he complained of being ill. The sheriff went in search of a physician, and saw the imprisoned man alive for the last time about five o'clock. Perhaps an half hour later the sheriff returned to the ward with supper intended for his charge, and found Canine in a sitting position leaning against the iron door. When the officer push the door open and discovered the noose about the man's neck and attached to the bar overhead. Mr. McRoberts cut the strip of bed-clothing with his knife and the body rolled over on the stone floor. It required but a moment to ascertain the shocking truth that the unfortunate man was dead.
Albert N. Canine was born in Boone county, Indiana, September 1, 1857, and was therefore aged fifty-six years, seven months and two days. He had been twice married and his second wife survives. He had two children. His brothers are R.R. Canine, of Sugar Creek township, and C.H. Canine, of Washington township. He also leaves one sister, Mrs. Cynthia A. Bowman.
The body was removed from the jail to the undertaking establishment of George M. Cromley, and was there prepared for burial. On Monday afternoon the remains were conveyed to Thorntown on the 2:26 interurban car, and the funeral services were held at the home at half-past one o'clock last Tuesday afternoon. The interment was in the Thorntown cemetery.- thanks to Kim H