A lightly edited transcript of an article on page 1 of the 25 Jan 1900 issue of Waterford Star:

Committed Suicide

The citizens of this place were horrified yesterday to hear of the suicide by hanging of Mr. John Martin at the Calvin McMichael farm.

Martin went out and finished up the morning work at usual and was not missed until dinner time. He did not respond to the call to dinner and a search was made. He was found hanging to a beam in a shed adjoining the barn, where it is supposed he had been hanging over three hours. The proper authorities were at once notified and the body was taken down.

Mr. Martin has been a farm employee on the McMichael farm for some 20 years and was an industrious, quiet, unassuming man. No cause is known why he should commit suicide.

A lightly edited transcript of an article on page 1 of the 1 Feb 1900 issue of Waterford Star:

Funeral was Postponed

The funeral of John Martin who hung himself, was to have taken place on Friday afternoon last, but was postponed pending an inquest.

It was stated that Martin had $200 which was unaccounted for and was not found on his person when he was searched. Another reason for the inquest was that a revolver was found in his coat pocket by the Undertaker. W. B. Goodwin says he searched the man thoroughly and that there was no revolver in his pocket at the time. The mystery was how the revolver came there. 

The facts of the case were laid before Coroner Hayes and he instructed Dr. A. C. Duncombe to examine Martin and if no marks of violence were found an inquest would not be necessary. The result was that the inquest was not held and the interment took place on Saturday afternoon. 

We understand the money was satisfactorily accounted for.