A Despondent Farmer's Suicide - The suicide of Garrett B. Fonda, residing midway between Hoosick Corners and Petersburgh junction, was briefly noticed in yesterday's second edition of the times. Coroner Green was summoned, and proceeded to ths scene during the afternoon. Sheppard Fonda, a son of Garrett, was sent by his father yesterday morning with $30 the latter had received in his capacity of school tax collector to deliver that amount to A. Breese, another school official at Hoosick Corners. Sheppard returned about 12:30 o'clock yesterday afternoon. In response to an inquiry by the young man regarding the whereabouts of his father, a member of the family stated he had gone to the barn. Sbeppard entered, and was astounded to find his father partially kneeling on a pile of hayseed, with a rope around his neck. The other end of the rope was fastened to an upper rung of a ladder leading into the loft. The cries of Sheppard attracted his mother and daughter, and the three untied the rope from the body. Dr. W. E. Putnam of Hoosick was immediately called, and pronounced life extinct. Several bruises were noticed on the face of the dead man, which it is stated were the results of a fall on the ice several days ago. A streak of coagulated blood across the face could not be accounted for. For some time past Fonda had been restless and despondent. To Mr. Babcock, a hotel proprietor at Hoosick Corners, Garrett said on one occasion: "My farm is heavily mortgaged and I can see no way of paying the debt. I sometimes feel like drowning myself." The deceased was the owner of 160 acres of land, and was overseer of highways and collector of school taxes for the district. A mortgage on his farm was lately foreclosed, and this increased his despondency. A married son resides in Bennington. Coroner Green will hold an inquest Friday afternoon at J. P. Armstrong & Co.'s store, Hoosick Corners. Troy Daily Times, Tuesday, February 6, 1883

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