OBIT: John P. WITMER, 1913, Altoona, Blair County, PA

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DRANK ACID TO END HIS LIFE

John P. Witmer Committed Suicide While Brooding Over Financial 
Reverses.

KNOWN AS WELL DRILLER

Was Senior Member of Firm Which Had Had Many Important Contacts.

  John P. Witmer, senior member of the firm of Witmer & Laughlin, well 
drillers, who had been engaged in that work here until recently, 
committed suicide yesterday afternoon by drinking carbolic acid at the 
home of Charles Heltzell, Pottsgrove avenue and Lloyd street, East End. 
Despondency over business reverses is assigned as the probable cause of 
his taking his life.
  Witmer had been engaged in the well-drilling business in this section 
for several years and for the past two or three years had been in 
partnership in the business with John Laughlin, under the firm name of 
Witmer & Laughlin. The firm drilled several of the artesian wells now 
in use in the city. Several months ago the firm disposed of their 
business to a man by the name of Bear and bought a farm near 
McConnellstown. Witmer returned from there a couple of weeks ago and 
again took up his home with the Heltzel family, with whom he boarded 
for a couple of years.
  
Bade Children Farewell.

  The man spent the early afternoon in the city and returned home about 
4 o'clock. He arrived at the Heltzel house, just as the children were 
coming home from school. He asked the Heltzell children to come to him 
and bid him good-bye, as they would not see him again. He then entered 
the house, passed upstairs to his room and few minutes later Mrs. 
Heltzell heard him removing his shoes. She went to the stair door, 
asked him if he did not want something to eat and he replied in the 
negative. A few minutes later she heard what she supposed was a fall, 
called up the stairs, received no response and hearing moaning, became 
alarmed. She summoned some of the neighbors and they made an 
investigation found Witmer lying on his stomach on the bed and 
apparently in agony. He was turned over and hound to be in a partially 
unconscious state. Efforts were made to get a physician and then the 
ambulance was summoned, but before any person arrived Witmer died. He 
had purchased a bottle of carbolic acid, scratched the label from the 
bottle poured the contents into a glass and drained it. The drug caused 
death in about fifteen minutes, death occurring at 4:20 o'clock.

A Native of Reading.
  
  John P. Witmer was born in Reading, on Dec. 6, 1874. He had been in 
the city and vicinity for the past four years. He was single and was a 
member of the Loyal Order of Moose. Coroner Blackburn was summoned to 
the house, investigated the suicide and determined that an inquest was 
unnecessary. He turned the body over to Undertakers Lafferty & Tobias 
to be prepared for burial. Coroner Blackburn also ascertained that 
Witmer is survived by four sisters and three brothers, residing in 
Reading. Last night he telegraphed the chief of police of Reading to 
locate them if possible and notify them.

Altoona Mirror, Wednesday, January 3, 1913, page 12