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Submitted: 11/27/12 • Approved: 11/27/12 • Last Updated: 11/30/12 • R787704-G0-S3
Jan 31 1858 - Nov 15 1911
City Marshall
*Obituary
Benton County Democrat
Thursday, November 23, 1911
TOLLES, Joe - {from The Siloam Springs Free Press} City Marshal Joe Tolles ended his own life by swallowing an ounce of carbolic acid at his home in this city about 3 o'clock Wednesday afternoon. Mr. Tolles came here something like four years ago and married after coming here. He made the race for city marshal and was unanimously elected in April 1910. Mr. Tolles filled the office with credit to himself for quite a while when a few months ago he began drinking and as the habit grew upon him he became negligent of his duty. He had been drinking very heavily and on Nov. 6 he left the city, supposedly on a trip to visit his sons. Nothing was heard of him until he returned to the city a few days ago. He appeared very nervous and despondent after his return home but as far as we have learned he did not tell anyone of his intention to end his life. It is believed, however, that that was his object in returning to Siloam Springs, to die at home. He was about over the the business part of town and talked to quite a number of his acquaintances Wednesday afternoon just a few moments before he took the deadly drug and when the news was heralded that "Joe Tolles has committed suicide" no one believed it. He swallowed the acid and then called his wife and only lived three minutes. The deceased is survived by his wife and two sons by a former marriage. We learn he carried insurance to the amount of $500 in the Mutual Aid. It is reported that the deceased had failed to turn in money which he had collected lately and it is supposed that being unable to make good this shortage had as much to do with taking his own life as anything else. We are unable to learn just how much short he was in his accounts but understand that it was something like $125.00. This carelessness was brought on by his excessive drinking for he made a splendid official before he became addicted to the habit.
Contributed on 11/27/12 by judyfrog
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Record #: 787704