Evening Republican, Volume 18, Number 199, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 24 August 1914 — FAIR OAKS YOUNG LADY DIES BY HER OWN HAND [ARTICLE]

FAIR OAKS YOUNG LADY DIES BY HER OWN HAND

/ .. •. v Pearl Baker Takes Overdose of Morphine With Fatal Results— Coroner Says Suicide. \ A Coroner Wright, with Drs. Hemphill and English, went to Fair Oaks this morning to Investigate the death of Pearl Baker, sixteen years of age, who yesterday afternoon died by her own hand; having taken an qver-dose of morphine. The rhysicians performed an autopsy and found that death had resulted from morphine poisoning. The coroner brought in a verdict of suicide. Dr.. Hemphill was called to Fair Oaks Sunday afternoon and found the girl ip a state of coma,-' she passed away shortly after he arrived, lU possible means, being taken to save her life. r The girl was a daughter of Stella and John Baker. Her mother was formerly Stella Dewitt, who lived in Rensselaew some .fifteen years ago. She left Baker and was afterwards married to a man named Gray, who died in the west and was brought back here some time ago. Pearl lived with her grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Barney Dewitt, an aged couple, living in Fair Oaks, and it seems that she had a very hard time, as she was compelled to do a great deal of hard, menial labor. The old man is a sufferer from some bone trouble and takes morphine to ease his pain. The aged lady is blind and was alone in the house with the girl at the time of the taking of the poison. The girl was engaged to be married to a railroader but owing to the very stren-, uous objections of the Dewitt family she was not allowed to marry. This railroader a few days ago went to North pakota, and she was to follow him*in a short time, but the family watched her so closely that this she was. unable to do. Seeing nothing ahead hut a life of drudgery is ascribed as the motive for her terrible deed.

About 2 o’clock she went to the cupboard, where the supply of morphine is kept, and took a quantity on the blade of a case knife, and then went up stairs, where she lay down on her bed. A storm coming up in the afternoon, she was called to close the windows. Getting no response, on# of th§ Dewitt boys went up to see’what was the matter. There she was found, breathing hard and frothing at the mouth. Immediately the physician was called with the result already noted. Some further investigation, ft is reported, will be made.