Grayson County TXGenWeb

Denison Daily News
Sunday, May 18, 1879
pg. 8

BY HIS OWN HAND
Deliberate Suicide of J. J. Neudorfer. He Ends His Career with a Six Shooter. Full Particulars of the Sad Occurrence

A deplorable tragedy was enacted in this city Saturday afternoon. It was the suicide of John J. Neudorfer, late master mechanic of the H. & T.C. railway at this point.
The following are the particulars of the sad affair as gleaned by our reporter from various sources:
Several weeks ago Mr. Neudorfer was notified by the H. & T.C. R'y company that his services would no longer be needed. This was somewhat of a surprise to Mr. Neudorfer, as he had been in the employ of the company for over six years. In a conversation with our reporter, Mr. Neudorfer assigned as a reason for his dismissal the suspicion that some of his men were engaged in breaking into freight cars. He seemed to take his dismissal in the most cheerful manner, stating that he should leave in a few days to accept a position on the Cairo branch of the Illinois Central R'y.
After remaining in this city a short time, Mr. Neudorfer left for the north and after being absent several weeks he returned to Denison, not obtaining, as he said, what he went after. He expressed a determination to cast his future lot in this state. There was a change in the man which was noticeable by his friends; he was gloomy, despondent, and seemed to be a prey to fits of melancholy.
He applied for a position on the D. & P., and made one or two trips over the road, if we mistake not. He seemed confident that he would find permanent employment, and at times seemed to be in the best of spirits.
On the day of the tragedy our reporter met Mr. Neudorfer on Main street in front of the express office. He was erratic in his conversation. Taking a letter from his coat pocket, he playfully remarked that Mr. Noble had promised him a job on the H. & T.C., and that he was all right. That was the last we saw of the unfortunate young man until after the terrible tragedy of Saturday afternoon.
About 2 o'clock as our reporter was walking down Main street his attention was attracted by a large number of people flocking to the alley north of Main street. From the excitement it was evident that some unusual occurrence had taken place. People were surging around the door and windows of a small building on Woodard street. Our reporter was admitted and was confronted by a sight which will never be forgotten. On a bed soaked with blood was stretched a young man in the throes of death. The eyes glassy, which betokens the approach of dissolution poor Johnny Neudorfer, who only a few hours previous was in the flush of youth, was dying; his heart's blood ebbing away at every pulsation.
Jack Richardson, passenger engineer on the H. & T.C., who was sleeping in an adjoining room at the time of the tragedy, furnished the News with the important particulars.
Mr. Richardson had passed most of the day in the company of Mr. Neudorfer. They walked together in the woods. Neudorfer was very despondent and down cast. Richardson tried everything in his power to cheer up his companion, but without effect. During the walk, Neudorfer asked Richardson for his "pop," meaning pistol. They returned to their room at Mr. Tobin's residence, known as the peach orchard. Richardson laid down on his bed and went to sleep; Neudorfer retired to his room and followed suit.
About 2 o'clock p.m., or perhaps a littler later, Richardson was aroused from his slumbers; he does not recollect having heard a pistol shot; his attention first being attracted by a singular noise proceeding from Neudorfer's room. Going into the apartment he saw Neudorfer lying face down on the bed, the blood oozing from a ghastly wound in the head. Mr. Richardson at first supposed that Neudorfer had been fighting, and spoke to him. The dying man lifted his hand and ejaculated something unintelligible. The alarm was immediately given and a physician sent for - Dr. J.O. Williams. For a time the excitement was intense. Hundreds of people flocked to the scene of the terrible tragedy from all directions. The pistol with which the fatal deed was committed was a five shooter, the property of Mr. Tobin, who keeps the restaurant. Mr. Neudorfer took the pistol out of a drawer at the restaurant without the knowledge of Mr. Tobin. The pistol ball entered the right side of the head, about two inches above the ear, and ranging downward and forward, lodged at the base of the brain on the left side, near the apex of the left orbit. The ball in its course cut some of the large blood vessels of the brain, giving rise to profuse hemorrhage. Mr. Neudorfer lingered until half past six o'clock, when he breathed his last. The deceased was a prominent member of the Masonic fraternity and will be buried with Masonic honors.

The relatives of J.J. Neudorfer, consisting of a mother and sister, reside at Chillicothe, Ohio.

Denison Daily News
Tuesday, May 20, 1879

Mr. John J. Neudorfer was laid to rest Sunday afternoon in Oakwood cemetery. The obsequies were very imposing. About 3 o'clock two carriages arrived from Sherman, containing a delegation of Knights Commandary. The procession, headed by the Denison Cornet Band, left the hall, corner of Main street and Rusk avenue, and marched to the M.E. church. The funeral services were conducted by the Rev. McBride, who in a few well chosen words gave a sketch of the life of the deceased, and the moral to be drawn from his terrible taking off.
The Knights Templars came over from Sherman Sunday to attend the funeral of J.J. Neudorfer:
W.J. Morphy, Captain General
S.B. Haggart, Senior Warden
Chas. A. Cunningham, Junior Warden
W.H. Lankford, Treasurer
H.P. Gregg, J. Oxfod
W.F. Saunders, C.W. Moore, T.H. Williams, T.F. Freeman, P.H. Peters, L.F. Ely, George Cook.
From this city, L.S. Hamilton, L.G. Cairns, Thomas Hoffman, Generalissimo; G.W. Barefoot, J.G. West and J.R. Wright
The funeral procession consisted of the Denison Cornet Band, Commandery No. 13 of Sherman, Denison Blue Lodge, No. 403; hearse, and mourners, followed by a long line of citizens in carriages, on horseback and on foot. J.R. Wright acted as Marshal of the day.
F.E. Franklin, A.T. Franklin, half-brothers, and Jacob Neudorfer, brother of John J. Neuderfer, came up from Corsicana to attend his funeral and returned home Monday afternoon.
The opinion is gaining ground that the death of Mr. John Neudorfer was the result of an accident.

Denison Daily News
Wednesday, May 21, 1879
pg. 4

We extract the following from the Corsicana correspondence of the Dallas Commercial:
The tragic death of John Neudorfer, which occurred at Denison on Saturday last, cast a gloom over the entire community of this place. The deceased had formerly filled responsible positions in the employ of the Texas Central railroad, in this city, and had made many firm friends here who deeply mourn his sad death. It is well known that he was subject to epileptic fits, and it is believed that the rash act which ended his young life was committed while insane. He was a prudent young man and had accumulated several thousand dollars, which was judiciously invested and it is an absurd idea to suppose that the fear of coming to want prompted the act of self-destruction.