SENTER, Robert F.
Source: Roachdale Times newspaper, Roachdale, Putnam County, Indiana 5/9/1935
Robert F. Senter, 24, died at Lafayette Monday, apparently due to his grief over failing eyesight. A note to that effect was left by him. He was a senior at Purdue University, the son of Mr. and Mrs. Frank G. Senter, of Reelsville. --- thanks so much to Marilyn Walker for donating her wonderful Roachdale Times obituary file for use on this site
Source: Lafayette Journal-Courier Tue 7 May 1935 p 13
Robert F. Senter, of Reelsville, 24-year-old senior student in Purdue University committed suicide yesterday afternoon at his rooming house, 121 Fowler Avenue, West Lafayette by drinking a quantity of potassium cyanide, one of the most deadly poisons known to science. Worry over failing eyesight is believed to have been the cause of his action. He left three letters, one addressed to his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Frank G. Senter, of Reelsville, one to a girl, Miss Eleanor Long also of Reelsville; and the third without address. Letter to Parents: Dear Dad and Mom: I am practically blind this morning and it’s getting darker fast. Forgive me. I don’t want to be a helpless, miserable dependent. I am going exploring … Bob.
As a child, it was explained by his father, Senter frequently explored the woods near his home. The unaddressed letter contained only personal matters relating to various minor business details. Th eone to Miss Long was not opened. Coroner HE Klepinger conducted an investigation into the tragedy and indicated he would render a verdict of suicide. He said last night he had so far been unable to determine where the youth had gotten the poison. A possibility was expressed it may have come from one of the chemical laboratories at Purdue. Senter did not attend Purdue classes yesterday morning because as he explained, he had loaned his raincoat to a girl who wa sin Lafayette for the 4-H roundup. Mrs. Nellie Gordon, his landlady told officials Senter left the house about 2:30 p.m returning an hour or so later. At that time, she said, she spoke to him and he appeared to be perfectly normal. At about 4:45 p.m. two other students who roome din the same house, Homer Grubb, 18 and William Shonkwiler, 18 both of Rockville and both freshmen in the school of chemical engineering returned home and noticed the door of their upstairs room closed with the radio blaring loudly. They entered saw Senter lying across the bed and supposed he had fallen asleep. The two student said they read papers for a time when one of them called attention to Senter’s pale appearance. He felt unsuccessfully for Senter’s pulse and called Mrs. Gordon who in turn notified a physician. The youth was dead when the physician arrived. Under the bed was found a small vial containing a strong odor of cyanide. Later, the students recalled they had previous noticed the peculiar odor in the room but did not recognize its character and thought nothing of it. Friends of the dead youth said he had been worried for some time over his vision and feared he was going blind. Defective vision, it was said is hereditary in the family. Senter was born in Brazil, Ind on Nov 4, 1910. He was a member of the Reelsville Methodist Episcopal Church and Sigma Xi, Honorary chemical fraternity. The body was removed to the Templeton Funeral Home here. It was taken to the family home in Reelsville this morning.