CAPTAIN CHARLES L. DITSCH
1850 - 1888
Kansas City, Dec. 23, 1888
Took His Life Rather Than Meet Disgrace
Ex-Captain of Police Charles DITSCH was found dead this morning in Union Cemetery. He was lying on his daughter's grave with a ghastly bullet wound in the head, while a murderous looking 44-calibre revolver told the rest of the story.
He had charge of the funds of the Police Relief Association and his suicide is supposed to be due to his being short in his accounts. On Saturday he gave a check for $1000 to a man who had negotiated a loan on the funds of the association. Upon presenting it at the bank the statement was made that there were no funds to his credit. The total assets in the fund were about $10,000, of which about $4500 were in notes and the rest in cash. It is supposed that there is very little left, although DITSCH's safe has not been opened. The dead man had resigned some months ago to start a saloon which was profitable, but it is understood that he started several friends in the same business and appropriated the police funds for the purpose. The revolver with which he killed himself once belonged to Jesse JAMES, who gave it to Bob FORD, who in turn presented it to DITSCH.
