Lane County OR Archives Obituaries.....Southworth, Ward August 12, 1928 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/or/orfiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Debra Crosby http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00010.html#0002467 September 22, 2018, 7:33 pm Statesman Journal (Salem, OR) Wed Aug 15, 1928 pg 1 Statesman Journal (Salem, OR) Wed Aug 15, 1928 pg 1 FORMER SALEM YOUTH LEAVES SUICIDE NOTES Ward Southworth Apparently Kills Self at Green Bay, Wisconsin City Authorities Suspect Hoax When Body Cannot Be Discovered Green Bay, Wis., Aug 14.--(AP).-- Whether Ward S. Southworth, 23 years old, Minneapolis salesman penned his last message to his other and sister and the world of which he had grown tired and killed himself or perpetrated a suicide hoax, officials were attempting to decide today. Finding of his clothes with a note that he intended to take his life upon the pier near the bath house Monday morning, caused the waters of Green bay to be dragged, and this having proven futile dynamite was used today in an effort to locate the body of the youth. Auto Missing Police were not convinced that the youth carried out the threat made in a note that revealed his morose state of mind. Doubt developed when police failed to find Southworth's machine, although a number of oil and gas purchase slips indicated that he drove a car. There was confusing evidence also as to what method Southworth used to kill himself, if he did. In the pockets of the salesman's clothes, police found three letters, one of which was unsealed and was read. The other two were addressed to his mother, Mrs. Agnes Southworth, Eugene, Ore., and his sister Miss Alice G. Southworth, 4312 Ninth avenue, N. E., Seattle, Wash. ___________ Ward Southworth grew up in Salem, graduating from Salem high school in 1922 after a career as a high school debater. He entered Willamette university the following fall and was elected president of the freshman class. He made the university debating team during his first year and went on a debating tour as far east as Chicago and as far south as Tucson, Arizona. He was the son of Dr. Charles W. Southworth, prominent physician of this city who died several years ago. Young Southworth continued his studies at Willamette until shortly after the beginning of his junior year in 1924. He participated in numerous college debates and represented the university in intercollegiate oratory. He was a member of the Kappa Gamma Rho fraternity for a time. ------------------------------------- Green Bay Press-Gazette (Green Bay, WI) Thur Aug 16, 1928 Body of Ward C. Southworth Found in Bay BELIEVE MAN SWAM OUT IN BAY TO DEATH Finding of Body Dispels Belief His Farewell Note Was Hoax Floating face downward in the bay, about two miles off Bay View beach, the body of Ward C. Southworth, magazine salesman, was found this morning by Merle Leidel, 1149 Main St. a fisherman. Search for the body had been given up day before yesterday as hopeless, after blasting had failed to bring it to the surface, and belief was freely expressed that the whole affair was a hoax. While positive identification of the body has not yet been made, no doubt is entertained that it is the 23 year old youth, who, expressing himself as tired of life, swam out into the bay to death. Leidel found the body about 8 a.m. near the "Frying Pan" between Point Sauble and First Light. He secured it to a net stake with a piece of cord, and then steered his launch back to the warehouse of the Wisconsin Fish company, where he notified Jack Christman, manager. Mr. Christman called George Schwartz, beach manager, and on his advice summoned Coroner Frank Hodek and Sheriff Joseph Francis. The two officers returned with Leidel, and, by their combined efforts, lifted the body into a rowboat in which it was towed to the fish company's dock. From there it was removed to the undertaking establishment of Lawrene Basten & Son. The body was rapidly decomposing, and apparently had floated for some time. Left Farewell Note Coroner Hodek expressed the belief that no inquest would be necessary, unless additional information were obtained. A physician was notified to examine the body this afternoon. The first intimation of the tragedy was discovery of the clothes in which Southworth had been seen Sunday night, lying in a pile on the pier leading from the beach bathhouse. They were accompanied by three notes, two of them apparently to his mother and sister, and the other to the public. In the last named, he quoted a verse on the futility of life, expressing the philosophy: "That all is vanity, and nothingness." In his test he writes: "Call me fastidious, if you will, because I will not eat the worm to have the apple." adding, 'The worm is business methods of survival in a salesman's world." Most of the information authorities have been able to obtain about Southworth has been from the registration card which he filled out at the Y. M. C. A. here the night of July 31. This gives his home address as 11 Ketchum Place, Buffalo, N. Y., but his Y. M. C. A. membership as Salem, Ore. His occupation was that of a magazine salesman for the International Magazine company, 213 Wilmae bldg., Minneapolis, with L. Winer as manager. Efforts to secure information from this source have failed. When the clothes were found Monday morning, the sand on the soles of the shoes was still damp. The shoes were worn through, and there was no money in the pocketbook. A bunch of gas and oil tickets, however, indicated that he had driven a Ford car, of which no trace has yet been found. Had Penchant for Lollypops He has been a conspicuous figure at the beach for several nights before his disappearance, according to beach employees, due to his flashy gray sport suit, his red necktie and a penchant for lollypops. The impression he gave there was that of a youth who loved the limelight and the bizarre, and consequently many thought that his suicide note and the pile of clothes was a hoax to cover his disappearance. This impression was heightened when a telephone call was received from Clintonville, stating that more clothes and a similar note had been found in a room that he occupied here Saturday night. The note, on a good grade of gray stationery, had been lettered with a great deal of care, the printing indicating that Southworth at some time had studied drafting. The same type of lettering was on the card he had filled out at the Y. M. C. A. One of the other two letters is addressed to Mrs. Agnes Southworth, Eugene, Ore. and the other to Miss Alice G. Southworth, Seattle, Wash. These have been held by Coroner Hodek until additional light should have been thrown upon the case. Telegraphic advice of the discovery of the body was sent toboth the addresses this afternoon. ------------------------------------------ The Eugene Guard (Eugene, OR) Wed Aug 22, 1928 Ward Southworth Funeral is Held News of the death of Ward Southworth, 22 year old son of Mrs. C. W. Southworth, 1740 James street, Eugene, on Aug. 12, at Green Bay, Wis., occasions sympathy among Mrs. Southworth's many friends here. The young many was missing for some time, leaving notes indicating that he had intended suicide. Funeral services were held at Green Bay, Tuesday, by Rev. C. A. Whalen of the Baptist church, assisted by Rev. Franklin Southworth, brother of the late Dr. C. W. Southworth of Eugene and Salem. Interment was at Green Bay. Additional Comments: 1900 Hanover, Chautauqua, New York Charles E Mcneal 58 Oct 1841 Ny Ny VT Carrie R Mcneal 53 Jan 1847 Ny NY PA [Carrie Keith] daughter of Walter Keith Edward H Mcneal 12 Apr 1888 PA NY NY at school Agnes K Prest 26 Aug 1873 PA Canada NY niece school teacher [daughter of Mary Agnes Keith & George D. Prest] 1910 Eugene, Lane, OR Charles W Southworth 39 NY NY NY physician Agnes P Southworth 36 NY CAN NY Ward R Southworth 4 NY NY NY Alice G Southworth 3 NY NY NY 1920 Eugene, Lane, OR Charles W Southworth 49 NY NY NY physician Agnes Southworth 46 NY CAN NY Ward R Southworth 14 NY NY NY Alice G Southworth 13 NY NY NY Chester K Southworth 5 NY NY NY 1900 Hanover, Chautauqua, New York N C Southworth 73 Chloe Southworth 70 Charles Southworth 29 1900 Hanover, Chautauqua, New York Charles E Mcneal 58 Oct 1841 Ny Ny VT Carrie R Mcneal 53 Jan 1847 Ny NY PA [Carrie Keith] daughter of Walter Keith Edward H Mcneal 12 Apr 1888 PA NY NY at school Agnes K Prest 26 Aug 1873 PA Canada NY niece school teacher 1870 Silver Creek, Chautauqua, New York Lee House Geo D. Prest 27 Hotel Keeper Canada Mary A. " " 26 NY <--Mary Agnes Keith Mary A. " " 7 NY Caroline C Keith 43 PA at home Carrie C Keith 22 NY <-married Charles McNeal Alice H Keith 21 NY Jenne L Keith 7 NY Charles Mcneal 27 Lawyer NY Henry Mcneal 24 clerk NY Son of Charles Wilson & Agnes Keith Prest Southworth Family from Chautauqa County, New York submitter is not related and has no further information File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/or/lane/obits/s/southwor4247gob.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/orfiles/ File size: 9.4 Kb