Transcribed By Keith Larzelere
From the Manchester (MI) Newspaper, Oct. 29, 1885
A Fatal Fall
"Monday afternoon Geo. Larzelere, a farmer living about six miles west of Clinton, was driving home from town, and when about half a mile from the village he fell from his wagon and was so badly injured that he died within a few minutes. The facts, as near as can be learned, are as follows: He had been to the house of his brother-in-law, Chas. Burleson, in Macon, in the forenoon after a load of lumber, which was put into the wagon box, and a spring seat on top of that, which made a rather percarious position to ride on. When near the residence of Belden Mills, he was observed by Mr. Mills and David Brooks, to fall from his wagon. Going to his rescue, they stopped the team, and picked him up. Not considering him seriously hurt, they conveyed him to the barn, which was near by. After laying him down, they concluded from his peculiar breathing that he was more seriously injured than they had anticipated and Mr. Brooks jumped into his buggy and started for a physician. Dr. Tuttle was found and hurried to the scene of accident as rapidly as possible, but before reaching there the unfortunate man had passed away. The doctor examined the remains and decided that death was caused by his neck being broken.
Mr. Mills informed us that after falling Mr. Larzelere partially raised on his hands and knees and said "Whoa" once, which was the last word spoken by him. It was probably not more than five minutes from the time he struck the ground before death acrued.
The remains were conveyed to his house by untertaker Hause; the sad news not being broken to his wife until a few minutes before the remains arrived. Mr. Larzelere was about 45 years of age, and leaves a wife and three young children to mourn his death." ---- CLINTON LOCAL
Transcribed by Keith Larzelere
From Adrian Daily Times and Expositor, August 19, 1875, Page 1, Col. 2 & 3
A Terrible Death
George Larzelere Found
Dead In Bed
Sad Ending To What Might
Have Been A Promising Life
Shortly after noon today, in a bedroom in the house of Prof. Thomson, on West Maumee Street, was found the dead body of George Larzelere, a young man well known in this city.
The Sad Story
of his life and death can be soon told. He was born in this city some thirty-two years ago, of parents who were much respected here. He was of a genial disposition, generous and careless to a fault, a pleasant companion and exceedingly popular among his associates. And with these good qualities he had what, sad to say, so often accompanies them,
A Taste for drink
and this had been his ruin, and undoubtedly, directly or indirectly, was the cause of his death. Some eight or nine years ago he moved away from here, but returned last winter, and secured employment, at his trade of watch-making with W. F. King. He drank steadily, but was not often incapacitated for business.
Unfortunate
Some time during the winter he fell down and broke his arm, and while confined by the injury he heard of the death of his wife, who did not come here with him, and to whom he appeared to be devotedly attached. She died in childbirth, and left a little girl of some five years of age.
On The Downgrade
Since he recovered from his injuries he has seemed to more rapidly follow the downward track. He lost his situation, got out of money, and for some time got food where he could, and slept in the Franklin barn, but always managing in some way or other to procure the drink which had destroyed him.
Charity
About a month ago Mrs. May Thomson saw him, took pity on him, and invited him to make his home at her house, and since then he has been an inmate of the Professor's family. He frequently manifested a desire to break from the thraldom of the bottle, but his efforts, if efforts he made, were ineffectual. He has for some time traveled through the country repairing clocks and watches as he could find work.
Found Dead
On Tuesday Mrs. Thomson went to Toledo, leaving Larzelere at home with her husband. Yesterday afternoon the Professor went to Toledo after his wife, and George was left at home alone. Yesterday he complained of feeling sick, bit seemed to be in good spirits. The Professor and Mrs. Thomson returned home this morning from Toledo. The Professor went to King & Rice's store, And Mrs. T. went home, on west Maumee Street. She went into the house, and into the bed-room in the rear of the house, which George had occupied. She saw he was in bed, and feeling somewhat alarmed at seeing him in bed at that hour (shortly after 10 o'clock), went to the store after her husband, and told him she wanted him to go to the house with her, as George was in bed, and she was afraid he had been drinking. The Professor was busy at the time Mrs. T. reached the store, and it was between 12 and 1 o'clock before they reached the house. The Professor went at once to the bed-side, and said "I believe he is dead", and dead he was. Mrs. Thomson at once went for medical aid, and soon returned with Dr. Jewett. A very slight examination sufficed to convince the doctor that the vital spark had fled.
The Position Of The Corpse
was natural. It lay on the left side, the face turned toward the back of the bed, the limbs slightly drawn up, the hands and arms were in an easy position, and there was no sign of pain either on the face or any of the limbs. The lower part of the body was warm when the doctor examined it. The presence of death was very evident in the rigidity of the body, the appearance of the face, and symptoms of discoloration which had already begun to appear on the left or lower side of the body, but
How Or When
the dread visitant appeared, it was impossible to determine. There were no signs of any poison around the room, nor any evidence of it about the body. The deceased had evidently undressed deliberately, as his clothes were laid neatly on a chair, his shoes and stockings being together on the floor. The closest search gave no clue. The pockets of his clothes contained a pipe, tobacco, matches, a pocket-book, to combs, some keys, a knife, less that half a dollar in fractional currency, two nickels, and in an inside pocket of his vest, were some letters from his sister, who lives, we believe, in Dowagiac in this state. When the body was first discovered, and having in mind his life for some time, and the fact that his dissipation, it was thought that he died during the night or early this morning. But when news of his death began to spread there came people who stated that they had seen him this morning, and apparently in usual health. This complicated matters somewhat, and many professed a belief that it was a case of suicide. As we write a coroner's inquest is in progress to endeavor to solve the mystery.
The Coroner's Inquest
Coroner Sword was notified, and the following jury were summoned: Minor L. Finch, Ira Camburn, Jerome Reynolds, W. H. Rogers, James Farrar, and Thomas J. Tobey. The last named gentleman was elected foreman, and the inquest was then proceeded.
Mrs. May Thomson sworn: I left town Tuesday, and deceased was apparently as well as usual; returned home this morning and saw him in bed, as I supposed asleep; went to the store and found my husband, and got him to come with me; He went to the bedside and said he believed George was dead; I then went for Dr. Jewett; never heard George threaten suicide.
James M. Thomson sworn: Went to Toledo yesterday afternoon; last saw the deceased then; He complained of feeling bad; requested me to try and get work for him in Toledo; On coming home this morning with my wife, went to the store and she came home; she came to the store and requested me to come home with her; She said she though George was asleep and probably had been drinking; It was between twelve and one before we reached home; I went to the bedside and said, "I believe he is dead"; My wife went for the doctor, and I remained here; Never heard deceased threaten suicide; He seemed in good spirits yesterday noon.
James Parkell sworn: Saw deceased and spoke to him this morning in front of the Gibson house, between 7 and 8 o'clock; He was going up town at that time.
Philo Robinson sworn: Saw deceased this morning in the door of Lazenby's liquor store on the Lawrence Alley; Had no conversation with him.
Frank Stephenson sworn: Saw deceased last evening, between 8 and 9 o'clock; He was passing the store, and stepped in; He said he was going round the country fixing clocks and watches; said he had stopped drinking and felt better for it; had no special conversation with him; His face looked badly bloated; He was not under the influence of liquor at the time.
Mark Bateman sworn: Saw deceased this morning; He came to my barn about 8:30 o'clock; Had no particular conversation with him; I thought he had not been drinking; saw nothing wrong about him.
Daniel Abbott sworn: He saw deceased in the barn of last witness this morning.
James Robinson sworn: Saw deceased between 7 and 8 o'clock, and again between 8 and 9 o'clock this morning, in the yard of Bateman's barn; Spoke to him; He appeared as well as ever; Did not think he had been drinking; Thought I had not seen him look so well in a good while.
Dr. W. E. Jewett sworn: Had no means of determining how deceased came to his death; A post mortem examination might determine the exact cause of death; He was dead when I first saw him, at a quarter before one; He was warm to his neck; Head and face cold; Had not probably been dead more than three hours when I saw him; There was slight discoloration about the mouth; Had not been able to discover any evidence of violence, or that he had taken poison; Should think if he had taken any other poison than morphine, evidence would have been left; He appeared to have died quickly and easily.
The Verdict
Dr. Jewett's testimony closed the inquest, and the jury then returned the only verdict that could be arrived at, ------ that deceased came to his death from probably natural causes, to the jury unknown.
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