SIDDENS, Golden
Source: Greencastle Star Press 12 May 1894 p
3
Shortly before six o’clock, on Friday
evening, Deputy Sheriff Foster carried supper to the jail door for Golden
Siddens, the only prisoner in confinement, and called to him to receive his
evening meal. Siddens made no answer; Foster thought he was asleep and carried
the meal to the south tier of cells. When he arrived in sight of the cells he
saw Siddens standing as he supposed in the door of the middle cell. As he
walked toward him he said, “Golden,” but before he could finish the sentence,
he noticed that Siddens was hanging, supported by a piece of sash cord, with
his feet about 8” from the floor and the body cold in death. The suicide had placed the end of the bench
in the door way of the cell and stood upon it, made a slip knot in a short
piece of sash cord which was used by the prisoners as a clothes line and place
it about his neck, tied the other end of the rope to the iron bars over the
cell door and then stepped from the bench to eternity. There were no
indications that the deceased had struggled after stepping from the bench. The
rope used was quite small and was almost completed buried in the flesh. As soon
as Deputy Foster made the discovery he summoned Coroner McNeff an inquest was
held and a verdict rendered in accordance with the facts above stated. The body
was taken to the home of his father, and the funeral took place on Sunday last.
Siddens was under arrest for intoxication and it is not known what motive led
him to take his life. Deceased was 23 years of age. The family have the
sympathy of a large number of friends in their unexpected and greatly to be
deplored bereavement.