Otto Gresher

SHOOTS HIMSELF

Otto Gresher Sends Two Bullets Through His Heart and Soon Dies.

Owing to a complication of real or imaginary grievances, Otto Gresher, of Chicago, who was one of the picnickers at the Lake Saturday, thought he had good reasons for taking his own life. You will hear all sorts of stories but when they are all boiled down the substance is about the same. But probably the one that his brother tells is as near correct as possible. He stated that his brother Otto, who had worked at the Western Electric Company, Chicago, had been in poor health for some time and was out of work and their mother being very sick had probably made him very despondent, causing him to do the rash act. Others say that, added to this, being flushed a little with stimulants and becoming jealous of his girl, whom he thought someone else was paying a little too much attention to, and words with his brother, who had taken him to task, made him all the more decided.

The act took place at the dancing pavilion on the Lake some time before the 10 p.m. train arrived there, and while the dancing was in progress Otto Gresher, with two other young men, was sitting on the piazza of the pavilion close to the entrance, and suddenly, without warning, he drew his revolver, turned it toward his breast and fired. One of his companions attempted to seize the revolver, but he sent another ball through his heart, and fell forward on the floor, just as one of the steam launches drew up. He was immediately placed in the launch and taken to the railway station, but expired before the launch reached shore. There was no doctor available, and had one been there, he could not have done him any good, as the bullets probably pierced his heart. One who was there said there was no blood flow from the wound at all. The body of the suicide was taken to Chicago, but it would not be safe to let his mother know the sad news, as it was reasonably sure it would kill her.

After the body had been removed to the launch the music broke forth, and dancing was resumed as thought nothing had happened.