Evening Republican, Volume 16, Number 307, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 27 December 1912 — TRAGEDY AT WATSEKA; WIFE ENDS LIFE [ARTICLE]

TRAGEDY AT WATSEKA; WIFE ENDS LIFE

Series of Accidents Culminates in Suicide of Young Wife and Mother. Many Rensselaer people and practically every person in and near Remington will remember Nellie Traugh, daughter of Wellington Traugh, and will be interested in the appended article concerning ; the misfortunes that befell the family bf her step-daughter. The Monticello Herald prints the following: “Word was received last week of a sad tragedy at Watseka in which some of the parties concerned were well known here. ‘The central figure was Mrs. Florence Richards Martin, a step-daugh-ter of Mrs. Nellie Traugh-Richards, who lived here and was married at the home of Mr. Bert VanVoorst. Miss Richards, the step-daughter, was married a year ago last October to a man named Martin, whose father is president of the First National Bank at Watseka. ‘Three weeks ago last Monday Mr. Martin had his leg broken while at work on a ditch. One week later a tenant house on his farm burned down. In the meantime the fracture of his leg had failed to knit, and the doctors had arranged to reset the bones and nail the broken ends in place until they could unite. The date set for the operation was Monday, the 16th. On that day, before the doctors got to work, his wife, in despondency over their troubles, seized a buggy which had just been hitched near their house, drove to the river and drowned herself. She had been in poor health since the death of her baby daughter about four months ago, and her mind is supposed to have given way under physical and mental strain* “The baby is the pride of its grandfather, and he is said to be so impressed with the succession of unlucky Mondays that he is fearful the babe will be next to go and looks with dread for each returning Monday. Last Monday was the fourth since the accident to his son, and it passed without further disaster so far as learned. His son’s broken leg was reset, the babe is still living, and it is hoped the series of disasters ended with the sad death of the young mother.”