TIME SERVED...
Santa Cruz Sentinel, Sat, Nov 27, 1897
SUICIDE
FRANK LAUK FOUND DEAD IN HIS CELL
AT THE CONTY JAIL
Was Serving A Term of Five Days For
Disturbing the Peace and Became Melancholy
When Deputy Sheriff Alzina opened the cell of Frank Lauk at the county jail Friday morning, he found the prisoner lying on the floor, apparently asleep. But when, after repeated calling and shaking he insisted on remaining in his stupor, it did not need a very long examination to prove that Lauk had dispatched himself to another region.
The deceased was received at the county jail from Boulder Creek, where he was charged with disturbing the peace and sentenced to five days imprisonment. He would have been discharged next Sunday.
His arrest had been a result of his noisy demeanor while in a state of intoxication and when he arrived here evidences of indulgence could easily be observed. During his temporary visit to the county jail he was noticed to exhibit a tendency to melancholy, downhearted and constantly brooding. Thursday night Dan Hartman of Boulder Creek paid him a visit for the purpose of engaging his services at the end of his confinement and during the conversation Lauk seemed to be in higher spirits than before, and promised Hartman to work for him as soon as he would return to Boulder Creek, which would be after the elapse of two or three days.
However, during the night he seems to have changed his mind, for he was dead Friday morning, with a handkerchief around his neck and a piece of towel in his mouth, showing that he had choked himself to death. The other prisoners confined in the jail could hear the deceased breathe heavily, groan, and at times make a noise similar to the barking of a dog. When they asked Lauk what was the matter, he answered that he felt sick in his stomach.
The deceased lived for some time at Boulder Creek was a German by birth and was not known to be an habitual drunkard.
The Coroner called a jury together about two o’clock Friday afternoon and the same rendered a verdict of suicide; death by strangulation.