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Submitted: 3/23/21 • Approved: 3/31/21 • Last Updated: 4/3/21 • R271991-G0-S3
A Dakota Suicide
Sioux Falls, Jan 20. – Reports reached this city yesterday that Peter J. Berdahl, a farmer living in this county, ten miles west of Dell Rapids, had killed himself on Saturday morning. Mr. Berdahl was an old resident of this county and for some time had been going crooked in financial matters. A few weeks ago he was arrested and lodged in jail for mortgaging property that he did not own. He obtained bail for his appearance at court and was set at liberty. The matter seemed to make him desperate, and on Saturday morning at his home he procured a revolver, threatened to take the life of his wife and child and kill himself. His wife, succeeding in getting away, ran to neighbors for help. Returning with a neighbor, they were attracted to the stable by the scent of clothing burning, and on reaching it found Mr. Berdahl had shot himself through the heart and powder from the revolver had set is clothes on fire, help arriving just in time to prevent the cremation of his body, together with the stable.
Sioux City Journal, Sioux City, IA
Jan 21, 1885
Contributed on 3/23/21
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Record #: 271991