Individual Details

Death

THE MONTICELLO EXPRESS...OCTOBER 7,1920...PAGE 5
HENRY RIEKEN COMMITS SUICIDE.
Hank Rieken committed suicide in Wayne township last Thursday evening. The funeral services of the deceased were held at the Wayne Lutheran church last Saturday morning at 10 o'clock, and were conducted by Rev. John Willms, the pastor of that church. Burial was had at the Wayne Center cemetery.
It seems that Mr. and Mrs. Tobias Rieken were absent from their home visiting friends in Nebraska, and that their cattle were being taken care of by Gerd Behnken. On Thursday evening Henry Rieken went over to his brother's farm, and told Behnken he could go home and that he would care for the cattle that evening. However, he told him to be sure and come back the next morning, and bring some bread for his breakfast. When Behnken returned about 7 o'clock Friday morning, as he entered the house he noted the presence of smoke. He traced it up, and found Rieken's lifeless body on a bed in one of the bedrooms. Upon investigation it was found that Rieken had placed a shotgun against his heart and pulled the trigger. The load from the gun passed down through the body cavity and burst out through the abdomen. The shot set fire to the bed clothing, which must have burned rapidly, and which also ignited the mattress. When Behken discovered the body it was burned to a char, and was lying on the springs of the bed. The bed was also ruined, but the fire was not communicated to the rest of the furnishings in the room. Behnken called for help, and the body was immediately taken care of by an undertaker.
It seems that Rieken was subject to fits of despondency at various times. One time he wandered away from home and walked as far as Farley before he came to himself. Another time he wandered from home and went as far as Marion. he realized that he was in a serious condition and that he was subject to these fits of despondency. It is supposed that one of these periods of despondency overtook Mr. Rieken and promoted his rash act. He sold his farm sometime ago, and recently had been living on a small acreage on the Henry Folker's farm.
The deceased was 48 years of age. He was married in 1900, to Miss Etta Schaffer. There were five children born in this union, viz: Lena, John, Martha, William and Mary, all of whom together with their mother survive Mr. Rieken. He is also survived by the following brothers and sisters: Tobias Rieken of Scotch Grove township, Henry Rieken of LeMars, William of Wayne township, and Mrs. Gerhard Siebels of Wayne township.