Mansfield News 19th May 1910 Ohio

WILLIAM J. EMPTAGE, DESPONDENT OVER ILL HEALTH, DRINKS CARBOLIC ACID

His body was found several hours later in a field near the Campbell Bridge on the Ashland Road, with bottle he had drained lying by his side. William J. Emptage had been an employee of the Aultman and Taylor Company but had been unable to work for several weeks on account of poor health.

William J. Emptage, 279, McPherson street, committed suicide Thursday morning in a field just west of Campbell Bridge, east of the city on the Ashland road, by drinking carbolic acid from a bottle he carried with him to the place.

Emptage was about 48 years of age and is survived by his wife and two children, one daughter, Mrs George Royer of Willow Street, and a son Charles Ray, who is in the employ of the Cotton Transfer company.

When Mr Emptage left home Thursday morning it was with the expressed intention of resuming work at the plant of the Aultman and Taylor company, where he had a job but at which he had been unable to work for some weeks on account of poor health, having been a sufferer of nervous trouble. The family has lived in Mansfield for about twenty years.

The body was found a few minutes before noon by H. A. Brake, manager of the Brake Handle company, and James Birney of East 4th Street, an employee at the handle works, who were on their way to dinner and followed the path along the Pennsylvania switch, which runs through nearly to the Ashland road. Philip Shireman who resides on the Ashland road, was also in the vicinity at the time and was called to the spot by the other men.

The body of Emptage was on a slight embankment a few feet from the railroad track, the head having been considerably higher than the feet, as if the man had thrown himself down into a comfortable position on the grassy bank before drinking the deadly draught which robbed him of his life.

A hasty examination showed the men that the man was dead and the news quickly spread through the neighbourhood, resulting in a considerable crowd of men and women and children being drawn to the spot where the body was found before it was removed by the ambulance.

The police station was notified shortly after the finding of the body, and Officers Lurtz and Marks went out to the place, which is only a few yards west of the Campbell bridge, and just northeast of the turn from East 4th street onto the Ashland road.

Coroner Maglott was also notified and he went out to view the body before it was moved from the place where it was found. He found a three ounce bottle bottle, in which there were a few drops of carbolic acid lying alongside the man’s body near his left hand, and this together with the burned in the inside of his lips showed that beyond doubt he had committed suicide by drinking the acid.

After the body had been viewed by the Coroner, Wappner’s ambulance was called and the body was taken to the Wappner undertaking rooms to be prepared for burial.

The man was seen to go toward the spot where he ended his life, about 8 o’clock Thursday morning by several employees of the Brake handle company and also by a lady who lives in the vicinity. They lost sight of him in the vicinity of where the body was found but thought nothing of this until they learned of the man’s death, as it would have been possible for him to have become lost to view on account of trees or by crossing to the other side of the railroad track on which a number of cars were standing.

A five dollar bill and some small change amounting to 95 cents was found in the man’s pockets, also a grocery book, but nothing was found to give any clue to his reason for ending his life. It is presumed that he was led to do this by the fact that he had been in poor health for the past six or eight weeks and had been unable to work, and had grown despondent.

He had been employed by Altman and Taylor company for several years and had been working at mouldings until about 7 weeks ago.

Note:

William J. Emptage was the son of Elijah Emptage and Martha Jane Hunt. Elijah a Labourer, was born in Birchington, Isle of Thanet, Kent, and emigrated to Ohio along with his brother George, around 1845.

William married Susie Mosells Caroll on the 18th December 1887 and they had 2 children, Carrie M. and Charles Ray. Susie, daughter of James Caroll and Susan Beatty never remarried, and she died on the 1st October 1925 age 64, and is buried with her husband William at Mansfield Cemetery.