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- The Napa Journal
January 26, 1927
Man Snuffs Out Life With Dynamite
Grim Tragedy Uncovered by Officers in the Redwoods
Sheriff Steckter, Constable McDermott Find Wood Chopper Victim of Explosive
Suspecting that the continued absence of T. George Haskell, 86, employed for five years on the Theodore Gier holdings at the Sequoia Resort in the Napa Redwoods could be connected with the mysterious explosion that occurred in the vicinity about 3 o'clock Monday afternoon and fearing to go into the premises. Foreman E. A. Wack early yesterday morning summoned Sheriff Jack Steckter and Constable Forrest McDermott and an investigation by the two officers revealed a frightful tragedy -- Haskell blown to atoms by dynamite that he touched off to snuff out his own life.
Invading the area of an abandoned rock quarry about a mile into the hills from Sequoia Steckter and McDermott discovered the aged worker's head on the ground and bits of his body scattered over the premises within a radius of several hundred feet. Clothing worn by the despondent man was found hanging from the branches of trees. The tragedy was one too frightful for description.
Sheriff Steckter summoned Coroner T. J. Treadway and the latter removed the remains to the local morgue.
Haskell, so fellow workers on the Gier place, have declared, has been in ill health for some time and had been despondent. On several occasions it has been stated he made threats to end his live. It is believed he had secured the explosive from a supply of dynamite kept on hand for blasting tree stumps and determined to die Monday. Examination of the vicinity where the blast occurred gave the officers the impression that Haskell either laid down on the ground or went into a sitting position and set off the blast that blew him into eternity. He left no letters or notes to explain his rash act.
Attaches of the Gier ranch were puzzled over the explosion on Monday but made no investigation. A vislt to Haskell's cabin Monday evening found the aged man missing. After thinking matters over for the night, Wack decided to summon the officers yesterday morning. As far as is known, Haskell has no relatives in this part of the country. He was employed at the Gier place for five years and is believed to have a sister somewhere in Florida and another in Hawaii.
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Napa County voter registration, Browns Valley Precinct, 1922-1934
Theodore George Haskell listed as a wood chopper
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1841 - 1927 (86 years)
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