North - William
Source: Sunday Star, Crawfordsville, Montgomery County, Indiana Sept 9, 1901 p 8
On Sunday morning the body of a man far gone in decomposition was discovered on top of a stack of oats on the farm of Thomas Bonnell near Wingate. Coroner Dennis found that the body was that of William North and that he was an unmarried man 22 years of age. Further, that he must have taken carbolic acid about the 24th of August. An empty bottle was found beside the body. The remains were in a horrible state of petrefaction. Dr. Dennis said he never saw such an awful sight. An unfortunate love affair and ill health are said to have been the causes of the self-murder. North was a well known young man and his absence had caused some alarm - kbz
Source: Crawfordsville Weekly Journal Friday, 6 September 1901
Sunday Coroner Dennis was called to the farm of Thomas Bonnell to investigate the suicide of William North, a young farm hand whose love had been spurned by a maiden he had loved. North was about twenty two years of age and had been employed by Mr. Bonnell for some time. A week ago last Saturday he concluded to quit and was paid off. This was the last seen of him by the Bonnell family, they concluding that he had gone away to visit friends at Oxford, he having expressed such a determination to see them. He was in Wingate that day and purchased carbolic acid and with this drug he took his life. He performed the deed in the hay loft and probably died very soon after taking the deadly poison. No one had occasion to visit the loft until Sunday when an awful stench which had begun to manifest itself two or three days before no longer became endurable. Mr. Bonnell thought that a dog had died somewhere about the place and instituted a search. In the loft the body of young North was found. It was in a horrible and sickening condition. The rats had eaten the flesh from the face and hands and the exposure to the heat of the loft had caused the body to decompose very rapidly. It was fairly alive with worms. Coroner Dennis conducted the inquest on Sunday and the body was buried as soon as possible thereafter. It is stated that disappointment in a love affair was the sole cause for the suicide. -s
Source: Crawfordsville Weekly Journal Friday, 27 September 1901
The Mellott Hustler thinks that the death of Wm North who was found dead in this county some days ago was not due to suicide. It says: “The fact that a vial of acid was found near his hand is not positive evidence of suicide. We were informed by reliable parties that the young man was in the habit of keeping all his money, something like $175, in his pocket. On searching his clothing before burial the sum of $1.60 was all that could be found. Carbolic acid route is becoming a too common verdict at coroner’s inquests.”