Thomas J. Roth

ROTH, WILKERSON

Posted By: Beverly Gerdts (email)
Date: 3/1/2025 at 09:36:27

The Wapello Republican, Columbus Junction, IA
Thursday, January 28, 1915
Page 8

(Muscatine) Thomas J. Roth, a carpenter and mill-wright, being employed until recently on the pumping plant at Pt. Louisa, fired a bullet into his head and ended his life early Sunday morning, in his room at the rooming house conducted by Miss O. A. Wilkerson, 403 East Front street. Here Miss Wilkerson found his lifeless body at 10 o'clock, the gun lying in his lap. The bullet was fired from a .32 caliber Smith and Wesson revolver and the sound of the shot was not heard by anyone in the house, according to Miss Wilkerson.

Rigor mortis had not yet set in when Coroner E. H Kind had a hastily impaneled jury arrived. From the evidence brought out by the three witnesses there can be little question but that Roth's mental balance had been shaken by the death of his wife, which occurred at New Orleans in October. Roth was a carpenter and mill-wright and for the past seven years had, from time to time been in the employ of the Macdonald Engineering company, of Chicago, the constructionists who are doing the work in Drainage District No. 13.

At the inquest conducted by Dr. E. H. King, Superintendent H. W. Perry of the Macdonald company testified that he had employed Roth on various jobs in Saltville, Va., Toledo, O., Brunswick Co., and Drainage District No. 13. He had always been a steady and reliable man although addicted to the use of liquor, Mr. Perry stated.