From the Dec. 28, 1923, Jerico Springs Optic
“The city of Jerico Springs and community were shocked Tuesday evening about 7 when the news flashed over town that R.E. Porta, cashier of the Farmers Bank of Jerico Springs had taken his own life by taking poison. The cause of this act was the closing of the Farmers Bank of this place.
“Mr. Porta was downtown Tuesday afternoon and seemed to be in his usual good spirits. When the mail arrived he went to the post office and got his mail and went home about 6:30. He told his wife he was going to the bank to put a notice on the door that the bank had closed its doors.
“But the supposition is that he never went to the bank as he was not gone long enough to make the trip. It is thought that he went to the well some distance from the house and got some water to take the strychnine and then went up the alley to the coal house where the bottle was found and stayed there until the medicine began to take effect and then came to the house and went upstairs and his wife followed him and noticed there was something wrong and asked him if he had taken anything and he nodded that he had.
“Dr. Prouse was summoned but before he arrived Mr. Porta had passed away. The coroner was summoned from El Dorado but upon arrival he found it was not necessary to hold an inquest as there was a type written letter found in his pocket to his family and among other things stated in that he was going to take his life.
“The bank inspector arrived here Thursday to take charge of the bank.”
Jerico Springs on parade 