Charles Heslet

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Obituary- Heslet, Charles

Charles Heslet Ends His Life With a Razor

Charles Heslet, committed suicide early Monday morning by cutting his left jugular vein with a razor at the home of his sister, Mrs. Cordelia Swearing on Pearl street. The deed was committed while he lay in his bed.

Mrs. Swearingen discovered his tragic ending about six o'clock Monday morning when she received no response to her calls to him to come to breakfast. Mr. Heslet was occupying the front room of the Swearingen home while Mrs. Swearingen and another brother, Joseph Heslet, slept in rooms on the second floor.

Coroner H.L. Clark was notified and after viewing the body he announced no inquest was necessary.

Marshal Vern Miller was probably the last person who saw Heslet alive. Heslet appeared on the streets about 1:30 Monday morning and talked for awhile as was his custom at times when he claimed he could not sleep. It was sometime after this hour that the deed was committed.

Heslet attempted suicide about 15 years ago while living in Topeka, by slashing his throat from ear to ear, but the attempt was unsuccessful. The attempt cost him the loss of natural speech and he has been unable to talk above a whisper since. The first attempt was due to domestic trouble. The deed of Monday is also believed to have been caused by brooding over his wife's refusal to live with him, together with ill health that kept him in a perpetual state of melancholy.

Taking his own life seemed to be a favorite topic with him in talking with people about town during periods of depression. About two months ago Heslet gave up his job as night watchman because he was afraid to rust himself with a gun.

Charles was a native son of Rossville. He was born here March 18, 1873 and except for brief periods of migration to other points has always made his home here. At various periods of the past he has been marshal of the town and was considered one of the most courageous officers the city has employed.

He was married to Miss Maud Fry in Topeka, June 20, 1899. Their union did not prove a congenial one and after a few years they separated although no divorce was secured by either party. Mrs. Heslet attended the funeral.

Funeral services were held Tuesday afternoon at 2 o'clock in the Methodist church, conducted by the Rev. Mr. Basquin. The body was interred in the Rossville cemetery.

The surviving relatives are his wife, three brothers, James H. of Washington, D.C., Joseph of Rossville and Jacob; five sisters, Mrs. M.S. McElvain, Mrs. Ella Hopkins, Mrs. Cordelia Swearingen, all of Rossville; Mrs. F.M. Cooper, of Eskridge, Mrs. Mina Wax of Maple Hill, and numerous nieces and nephews.