WAS TIRED OF LIFE
Coroner Currier Called to Crane’s Grove by a Suicide
MAN FOUND DEAD IN THE WOODS.
The Name of the Person is Unknown---The Inquest Now Being Held.
Coroner - L. M. Currier was called to Crane’s Grove this afternoon to hold an inquest over the remains of some unknown person who committed suicide by hanging. The body was found suspended from the limb of a tree in or near the grove. The probability is that the unfortunate man is some one residing in the immediate neighborhood.

(Freeport Daily Bulletin, Tuesday Evening, 20 Jul 1897, p1 c1)

MEANT WHAT HE SAID.
HERMAN BRANDT ENDS HIS LIFE BY THE ROPE ROUTE
He Left Home Monday Afternoon Saying that He was Going to Commit Suicide and He carried out His Threat—
An Inquest Held.

Herman Brandt, a single man about 35 years old, residing near Baileyville, had some trouble with members of his family Monday afternoon, and left them in an angry mood saying that he was going to the woods to hang himself. He took a piece of rope with him, but his relatives thought it an idle threat made in the heat of passion, and did not think that Brandt really meant what he said, but he did for all that, for today, between 12 and 1 o’clock, his lifeless body was found hanging to the limb of a tree in Crane’s grove, on land belonging to the Godfrey Voight farm. Ben Boosker found the body hanging from a tree while passing through the woods, and he notified Charley Frisbie and others, and Mr. Frisbie notified Coroner Currier who went out to Crane’s grove this afternoon to hold an inquest. Brandt was quite well known in Freeport, where he had many friends and a number of relatives. Charles Brandt, who was a partner of L. W. Kaiser in the dray line for a number of years, was a half brother [Charles Brandt was really Herman Brandt’s full brother.] He was regarded as an honest and industrious young man, but it is thought that family troubles unsettled his mind. (The Daily Journal, Tues. 20 Jul 1897)

IT WAS AN IDEAL SPOT, That Selected by Herman Brandt for Committing Self Destruction
ACT CAUSED BY FAMILY TROUBLE. The Funeral Was Held This Afternoon and Largely Attended.
The Coroner’s inquest
The jury sworn to inquire into the cause of the death of Herman Brandt, of Baileyville, reported to Coroner Currier that it resulted from hanging by a rope to a tree in Crain’s [Crane’s] Grove. Brandt was his own executioner. Charles Frisbie acted as foreman of the jury, the other members of which were J. D. Bunting, Frank Lamb, H. Wilhelm, J. C. Frisbie and Simon Petermeier.

The inquiry was conducted with Mr. Currier’s usual dispatch and thoroughness. A slanting stump from which a tree had been sawed was used as a desk and the coroner acted as his own secretary in taking the evidence. It was around this stump that a circle of neighbors gathered, startled at the news and inquisitive as to the cause for such an act. Just as the last witness had given in his testimony, a black cloud that had been threatening, broke into a dashing July rain and the spectators sought shelter under the friendly boughs.

After the inquest Charles Brandt, the sad hearted brother, with the aid of kind neighbors, tenderly lifted the body into his spring wagon and it was taken away. Not wishing that his mother should see the remains in the condition found, he asked to place them in a barn near by until an undertaker could arrive, but this privilege was denied him. He then went on farther where he found a place to deposit the body and after a Freeport undertaker had given it care, it was taken to the man’s home. The aged mother [immigrant Wilhelmine (Dunker) Brandt Schrader], now in her 64th year and feeble, was greatly shocked at the news. The funeral was held at one o’clock this afternoon from the home, Rev. Ernst Brunoehler, of the German Reformed church, officiating. The attendance was very large.

Family Trouble
There have been many family jars at Brandt’s home. His mother was twice married, he being the only son of the first husband who was at home. His mother was married the second time to Louis Schroeder, deceased. Of this union there were three sons, John, Henry and Will Schroeder at home. Brandt never could get along with his half-brothers. They had frequent quarrels and often came to blows. Some of the neighbors say that as a rule Brandt was the aggressor, that while he was a most agreeable person in meeting the people in his daily rounds, he had no use for the folks at home except his mother, and he was not backward about showing his feelings. Few men in that section were more highly thought of than the deceased. He was temperate, industrious, thrifty, amiable and cheerful.

Ten months or so ago Brandt and one of the Schroeders got into a fight which might have resulted disastrously. The former attacked the latter with a pitchfork and wounded him severely in his face. It was believed then that Herman had fully made up his mind to dispatch him. He came very near doing so. Matters ran along smoothly for a while until last Friday, when they had another set to. Brandt had trouble yesterday upon returning from the creamery where he hauled milk. The folks had requested him to go away as they felt that it was no longer possible to dwell together in peace. This he refused to do. He asked them if they were going to lock him up and receiving an affirmative reply, he said he guessed not. Later on he announced that he was going to kill himself. Then he left the house. The folks thought little of the matter at the time as they placed but little importance on the threat. Neighbors, however who heard of the remark, began to fear that Brandt would end his life, for he was a man who, when he once said a thing, invariably kept his word.

Dinner time came and supper time and darkness and morning but Brandt did not return. A search was then begun. Ben Busker, a milk hauler, was the first to find the body. It was hanging from a tree in a grove on the Simon Petermeier farm, formerly the Godfrey Voight place, two and one half miles north-west of Baileyville, and one mile east of the Schroeder home. The deed was committed within a stone’s throw of the public highway. An ideal spot had been selected for the self destruction. A light rope was placed over the bough of a half grown burr oak tree and from the stump, four or five feet high where the twin tree had been sawed. Brandt stood while he placed the noose about his neck. Then he jumped off and with his feet fully three feet from the earth he choked to death. The deed was done Monday afternoon or night; the body was not found until Tuesday about noon, consequently it was greatly discolored and a sickening sight.

Fred LaBudda testified that himself, Simon Petermeier, Mr. Lamb and Mr. Frisbie had gone to the place where Brandt was hanging, and cut him down. He knew of no reason for the suicide. Simon Petermeier, Sr., had nothing new to tell other than appears above. S. Petermeier, Jr., also gave about the same facts as have already been brought out. Charles Frisbie was the next witness. He had known the deceased since he was three or four years old. He knew of no reason why he should take his life. Charles Brandt, of Lancaster, a brother of the deceased, was the last to testify. He said that there had been some family trouble. That the folks thought Herman ought to leave home. He left the house at 5 o’clock Monday afternoon and that was the last seen of him.

Herman Brandt was aged 33 years. He was born near the Yellow Creek brewery, his father being a workman at Miller & Fry’s distillery. Mr. Brandt was kicked by a horse and killed. About thirty years ago the family moved to their present home on the Silver Creek-Florence township line. He had one sister dead [Mary (Brandt) Trei] and two living: Mrs. Fred Steffen, of Silver Creek, and Mrs. Gust LaGrand [Lizzie (Brandt) LaGrand], wife of August], of Freeport. His only brother is Charles Brandt, of Lancaster, formerly a drayman in partnership with Mr. Kaiser. The deceased left an estate of $5,000 or $6,000. As an evidence of his industry one farmer stated that during the eight years he was hauling he had missed but one time at his place. (Freeport Daily Bulletin, Wed. 21 Jul 1897)