Worried and despondent and after repeated threats on different
occasions, Alfred Schaefer, manager of the Mesa Dairy and Ice
Company, yesterday morning swallowed an ounce of carbolic acid
and without speaking a word other than to say, "No, oh no,"
when asked if he wanted to rise up after the deadly poison had
commenced on its work, fell on his face on the platform at the
plant and was dead before medical assistance could reach him.
The funeral arrangements have not been completed. The services
will be held at the residence this evening at 5:30 o'clock,
conducted by Rev. Mr. Hawley, after which the remains will be
laid to rest in the Mesa Cemetery. The Elks will be present
in a body. The deceased was a member, joining only a few weeks
ago.
A coroner's jury was summoned immediately by Justice Irwin,
acting coroner, with the following jurors: L.W. Stillwell,
foreman, Arthur Johnson, Wm. j. Clark, John Scott, B.H. Burnett
and Fred Sprowls, who returned a verdict that the deceased had
come to his death by drinking carbolic acid.
There were two questions that the jury were confronted with,
one being the manner of death and the other the motive. The
first was proved, by the evidence but the latter is yet in
doubt.
According to all information obtainable the deceased left his
home about five o'clock yesterday morning signifying his
intention of going directly to his place of business located
about a half mile distant. He was met on the way to the plant
by one of the employees of the concern, Leon Hawkins, who
called to him, "good morning." He gave no answer but
continued on. He was again spoken to by Mr. Hawkins and
this time responded with "good morning" and threw up his
hand in acknowledging the remark. The deceased went on
to the creamery and went to the cheese room which is near
the dressing room. Hawkins was in the dressing room when
the deceased came in and again passed the time of day.
While Hawkins was finishing dressing, the despondent man
asked him the time of day. Upon being told, he then asked
the question, "what time do you start this thing anyway?",
a question which could not help but lead Hawkins to think
that the man was unbalanced, for the deceased as manager
of the plant, knew the time that the men were supposed to
go to work every morning.
FREDERICK W. SCHALBE
April 3, 1902
Frederick William Schalbe died very suddenly Thursday evening
about 6 o'clock under circumstances that were to say the least
startling and unusual. Coroner Irwin and a jury inquired into
the case and found a verdict of natural causes and it is supposed
a medical opinion would have read heart disease.
Schalbe and W.R. Michaels were engaged in digging a well on
Cooper's homestead about thirteen miles south of Mesa, Schalbe
having a homestead nearby on which he lived in a tent. Michaels
was in the bottom of the well and Schalbe was at the windlass.
The former noting that the latter dropped over to the ground
from the windlass called to him to inquire what the matter
was and the only response was "Nothing." Later when he
convinced himself there was something the matter he climbed
out of the well and found Schalbe unconscious and practically
dead at that time. The coroner was notified with the result
above given.
Schalbe was a hard working man and had about twelve acres
cleared on his homestead. Not a great deal seems to be known
concerning him and the body is being held in Hodnett's
undertaking parlors pending more information. He is said
to own a farm somewhere in Texas and a telegram has been
sent to Denning where it is understood he lived for a time.
It is also reported that he lived in Prescott a while before
coming to Mesa City.
April 10, 1909
All that was mortal of Frederick W. Schwalbe, who died on a
homestead southeast of town last week has been buried by the
undertaker without hearing a word from relatives or friends.
Schwalbe was a man who had knocked about in the world a good
deal, always a hard working laborer but his energy though
spent liberally never served to assist in his accumulating
a competence for the proverbial rainy day. There is a
tragedy in the thought that he, a man of 70 years of age,
should be buried alone and unmourned.
MRS. SCHAULIS
April 24, 1909
H.S. Schaulis received a telegram yesterday from Sabetha Kansas
announcing the death of his mother that morning. No particulars
were given in the wire. It was a great shock to Mr. Schaulis as
when he left there a couple of months ago she was in her usual
state of health and since then he had learned nothing to the
contrary. His father has been critically ill for some time
and it was his condition that made his recent trip home
necessary. It is thought that the worry and care of her sick
husband was more or less responsible for her sudden demise.
Mr. Schaulis finds it impossible to attend the funeral and so
wired his sister yesterday.
Mrs. Schaulis is well known to a number of Tempe people, who
will be pained to learn of her death. Several years ago she
payed Tempe a visit and many people living here now were former
residents of Sabetha and were intimately acquainted with her.
May 4, 1909
Regarding the death of Mrs. A.M. Schaulis, mother of H.S.
Schaulis the Sabetha Kansas Herald says:
Mrs. A.M. Schaulis died at her home on the north side, on
Pennsylvania Avenue, Friday morning. She had been ailing
for some time but on Tuesday night became seriously ill. Her
husband, whose illness of many months has caused her serious
worry, survives her, together with seven children.
Mrs. Schaulis maiden name was Kate Anna Weller. She was the
next eldest of nine children and was born in Pennsylvania. She
was 59 years of age and was married on December 16, 1866 to
Alexander Schaulis. Her death is the first in her immediate
family.
All the children were able to be present at the funeral except
Sanford Schaulis of Tempe Arizona.
HENRY F. SCHMIDT
Feb. 5, 1909
A telephone message was received last night from Tempe
requesting the announcement in the Tempe department of the
death of Henry F. Schmidt at the home of his parents Mr.
and Mrs. E. Schmidt, in that city, last evening.
The news will be a shock to many of his friends who did not
even know of his presence in Tempe, nor of his serious illness.
He has been living in Douglas for some time past and about
three weeks ago returned to Tempe, being then ill of Bright's
disease which developed very suddenly and declined rapidly
until the end.
He was 27 years old and has lived in Tempe, most of the time
since his boyhood, being a bright and highly respected young
man and having a wide acquaintance. The funeral announcement
and further details concerning the distressing incident of his
death will be given later.
The Funeral
Feb. 6, 1909
The announcement in yesterday's paper of the sudden death of
Henry F. Schmidt, the evening before was a great shock. Mr.
Schmidt has made Douglas his home for the past three years and
was one of the prominent young men of that city.
Shortly before Christmas Mr. Schmidt was stricken with a more
serious attack of what it appears has been a chronic ailment
for some time past and which was pronounced by the Douglas
physicians as Bright's disease. His mother was called to Douglas.
Arriving there she found her son in much better health and
about the first of the year he came to Tempe, still much
improved. He expected to remain here a few weeks in the hope
that the change and better home care would result in a permanent
cure. Within a week after his arrival here, however, his
illness became more pronounced and he was shortly obliged to
take to his bed, from which he never rose again.
Several of his friends in Douglas were at once notified of his
death by wire as were the Douglas Elks. Early yesterday morning
a reply was received from the Elks lodge at that place
requesting that the Phoenix Lodge take charge of the funeral.
Probably few young men enjoy a large acquaintance than did Mr.
Schmidt. He grew from boyhood to manhood in Tempe and his
cheerful disposition won for him many friends. He was an
accomplished musician and occupied a prominent position in
the Tempe band, later playing in the Douglas organization.
EDWARD SCHOTTS
August 17, 1909
Crushed lifeless beneath the front wheel of a threshing
engine was the fate met by Edward Schotts Saturday afternoon
near Buckeye on the International Trading Company's Ranch.
Schotts had been doing repair work about the threshing outfit
and sat down in front of the machine to rest a few moments
before going back to work. William Creighton, owner of the
machine, desiring to move the engine for a better position,
started it. Schotts cried out as the heavy engine struck him.
The machine crossed Schoots' body half way before it could be
stopped, and he died inside of two hours.
Medical assistance was obtained in a short space of time but
the man was beyond saving.
At the coroner's inquest, it was found that the injury was
the result of an accident no one being to blame.
Edward Schotts was 51 years of age and little known in the
vicinity. He came a short time ago from California and leaves
a wife in Yienelma in that state. The dead man's wife was
telegraphed to and a reply giving instructions to bury
Schotts here was received. The body was placed in the
Rosedale Cemetery yesterday morning.
