Suicide At Fair-Haven

Michael Reilly Hung Himself Last Night

His Wife Was Attending the Service of Crowning the Virgin at Red Bank When He Got a Rope and Hung Himself to a Tree

Michael Reilly of Fair Haven committed suicide last night by hanging himself from a tree in his chicken yard. He had been drinking heavily for several days and it is supposed that he was crazed with rum when he took his life.

Last night Mrs. Reilly attended the crowning of the Blessed Virign at St. James's church at Red Bank. When she left home Mr. Reilly was in the house. When she returned from church she found the house in darkness and Mr. Reilly gone. After hunting through all the rooms to make sure that he was not in the house Mrs. Reilly went to one of the out buildings, thinking that Mr. Reilly may have gone to sleep there. Not finding him there she got a lantern and made a search of the premises. On going to the chicken yard she found his lifeless body hanging by a rope from the limb of a tree.

The rope that he used had once been a tie strap. He had made a noose about his neck and then tied the other end to a limb. The limb was such a short distance above his head that he could reach it when standing on the ground. Had he stood in an upright position the rope would have been slack, but he crooked his knees and let the entire weight of his body fall on the rope.

When Mrs. Reilly discovered her husband's body she screamed for help. Screams and calls for help were of such a common occurrence about the Reilly place that on one paid any attention to them. Mrs. Reilly went to several of the neighbors and told them that her husband had hung himself, but even with this tale it was some time before any of the neighbors responded to her calls. Finally the neighborhood was fully aroused by her hysterical manner and a big crowd gathered. Coroner Tetley of Red Bank was notified and after he viewed the body he gave a permit for burial without deeming an inquest necessary.

Mr. Reilly has been crazed with rum several times within the past few years. About two years ago he burned down his barn while drunk. He was declared insane at that time and was sent to the asylum. He was released after a short period spent in the asylum, and a little while afterward, while drunk, he started to chop the house with an ax. He broke the blinds, cut out the window sash and broke a stove to pieces. For this offense he was sent to jail for a short time. When sober Reilly was an ordinarily good citizen. He leaves no children.

Mr. Reilly was insured for $185 in the Prudential insurance company. He had been insured since 1891 and as the Prudential policies are incontestable after one year the insurance will be paid without question.

Source: Red Bank Register, Wednesday, May 29, 1901

Some additional excellent resources for your research are:

• New Jersey Census, 1772-1890 - Ancestry.com

• Calendar of New Jersey Wills, 1670-1760 - Ancestry.com

• Interment.net - NJ ~ New Jersey Cemetery Transcriptions on the net.

  ---