Seneca Courier Tribune

BOY ENDS LIFE; MOTIVE UNKNOWN
Family Cannot Understand Reason for Suicide of Carl Holthaus, Youth of Sixteen.

Why Carl Holthaus, apparently a normal 16 year old boy in good health, should have ended his life shortly after six o'clock Friday afternoon, is a mystery to his family and neighbors. He is a son of Mr. and Mrs. Frank H. Holthaus, Pikes Peak Highway, west of Seneca and this tragedy, following so closely upon the death of his little sister, Josephine Henrietta, five years old, who passed away just a week previous of diphtheria is a heavy blow to his family.

The day of the tragedy Carl was harrowing on the quarter which lies across the road south of the homes Henry Rosengarten and Frank Stuke. Henry Rosengarten says that he quit work about six and hitched his team to a buggy preparatory to going home. After eight o'clock Rosengarten noticed the team still standing near the barn. He remarked that the boy was staying late. Shortly after Frank Holthaus, the boy's father, and two of his brothers came in search of him. They were worried because he had returned home. They sent for Henry Stuke who helped in the search. Henry stepped into the barn where he found the body. The boy had used a rope which he fastened to a two-by-four, then stepped off a partition.

Mr. Holthaus remarked that he was sorry that he had permitted Carl to go to the field alone that day. It had been his custom to send two of the boys to the south farm each day.

At noon that day at home the family noticed nothing wrong with Carl. In fact he seemed in a cheerful state of mind. A young classmate of Carl, who had attended school in Seneca with him, said that he was a very good student and normal in every way.

Carl was born October 2, 1907 at the family home near Seneca. At the time of his death he was sixteen years, 7 months and 21 days of age.

Funeral services were held from St. Mary's Church, St. Benedict, KS, conducted by the Rev. Father Gregory, pastor, and burial was in the parish cemetery.