Posted on: Oneida Co. NY Obituaries Board URL: http://cgi.rootsweb.com/~genbbs/genbbs.cgi/USA/NY/OneidaObits?read=145 Surname: ------------------------- The Utica Observer Dispatch Friday March 18, 1898 Oneida County SECOND ATTEMPTS WAS SUCCESSFUL WILLIAM TELLER COMMITED SUICIDE TODAY Was despondent and sick-Found by his step-daughter hanging from a rafter in his summer kitchen. Sometime this morning Wm. Teller of 21 1/2 Huntington St. procured a stout clothesline,doubled it and made it into a noose. tied the end of it through a staple in the rafter of his summer kitchen, stepped upon a chair and adjusted the noose about his neck said good-bye to the world and kicked the chair from under him. When found at 12:30 this afternoon the body was yet warm, but life was extinct. Teller was about 60 years of age and an engineer by occupation. He was a brother of "Jack" Teller the well known R. W. & O engineer. Before he came to Utica twenty-eight or thrity years ago, he lived in Canastota. For a time he ran an engine on the Central Hudson and later worked about the yards in this city. Later he ran stationary engines in different places in the city. The last place he worked was at Monson Bros., but for the last two years he had been out of work and almost incapacitated for it because of his health. At one time he had considerable property ,but, it is said had lost some of it and the fact preyed upon his mind until he had become despondent. His eyes troubled him considerably and he had been taking tratment at St. Elizabeth's dispensary. Last October Teller had attempted to committ suicide, as he had frequently threatened to do, by taking Paris green. Dr Fuller succeeded in saving his life, and has two ounces of the dangerous condiment in his possession that he took from the Teller household. He will give it to the coroner to be used in substantiation of the fact which is already obvious. Teller was about the house this morning, no more moody than he has been for months past. When his disappearance was noticed his step-daughter Matie went to the summer kitchen and through the window saw his body hanging from the rafter. There were two doors to the room but they were locked. The girl informed her aunt, Mrs. McDermott who ran to the street and called for Deputy Factory Inspector Joseph O'Rourke, who was passing on his way home to dinner. Mr. O'Rourke at once hastened to the rear door and kicked it in. He cut the body down, but it was seen that Teller was dead. The chair upon which he had stood had been kicked some distance to one side. Teller's feet had been six or eight inches from the floor. The body may have hung for an hour or more. The coroner, Dr. Ward was summoned, and the body given in charge to undertaker Netback. The cororner will hold an inquest. Mr. Teller leaves a wife, and step-daughter and a brothe John Teller. The end affair created considerable excitement in the neighborhood, but their familiar with the attempt made in October, expressed no surpise that he should ultimately succeed in his purpose.