Rensselaer Republican, Volume 15, Number 28, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 22 March 1883 — A Horrible Suicide. [ARTICLE]

A Horrible Suicide.

The Two Lectures: —Mrs. I dvermore lectured at the Opera Mouse, last Saturday evening, and •'Col. Copeland, at the same place, Tuesday evening. Mrs. Livermore’s lecture was very instructive, and, hi some degree, entertaining; while the Colonel’s talk was very entertain iug, and, in some degree, instructive. From a financial point of view, the less said the better, about either of the lectures.

• The Gougar-Mandler case still drags its slow length along, and the final disagreement of the jury seems as far away as ever. Mrs. Gougar’s attorneys have rested their case, and the defense is I (ringing fa the small unsworn adult I inpulation of Lafayette, and making them testify to Mandler’s good reputation for truth and veracity. In general terms the witnesses on lioth sides may say with Aguecheek. “Leave me alone for swearing.”

About nine o’clock last Sunday morning Coronor F. i. Sears was notified that Mrs. Elizabeth A. Jenkins, wife of George VV. Jenkins of Barkley township, had been found dead at her kitchen door early that morning and that she had probably committed suicide. Mr. Sears and Mr. F. W. Babcock at once set out for the scene of the tragedy, ten miles north of Rensselaer, where they arrived in time to begin an inquest at noon. The inquest developed .these facts: That Mrs. Jenkins slept on Saturday night as usual .with her husband and youngest child, the latter being only 18 months old and still nursing. She spoke to her husband about daylight and they had some talk, in which she took part in a narural way with no betrayal of anything exciting on her mind. She then arose leaving her husband, who has been indisposed for some time, and the baby in bed. [’heir eldest son was already up and was kindling afire, when his mother arose. (She passed through Hie kitchen and out of the back door. A few minutes later Mr. Jenkins called his daughter, about 15 years of age, and when she had dressed suggested that her mother had been out some time and might have been taken sick, and that she should look after her. On opening the door, at which her mother went out, the girl uttered a scream and said her mother had fallen and hurt herself. The father and son ran to the door and found the deceased lying near the door, upon her face, in a large poo] <»f blood. They estimated that she had been out only 5 to 10 minutes, hut she was already dead. The body was carried into the house, and the son sent to call Mr. Jenkins brother, Anderson, and his wife,, who lived only 60 or 70 rods distant. Mrs. Jenkins first arrived and on a glance at the corpse ” eing so much blood enquired the cause. The husband being too much shocked to investigate and .- till being unaware of the real cause of death, suggested that she probably had fallen and they then first thought of examining the I >)ace where the unfortunate woman was found. As they passed t hrough the kitchen, Mrs. Anderson Jenkins found an open razor upon the floor. Finding so much i >lood out-side the door and no appearanci . anything there to « tuse n fatal injury, their suspic-j i<>ns of suicide were aroused and I ' ;tfcii»;' a more • careful ewnina-i : ion of thfe bodj, they then, for rst time, 'found the hideous gash, J , nrtly concealed by the drooping ■ • Liu and fleshy neck. The throat i as cut to a frightful depth, and' I'i‘Hih had folionetl almost instant- 1 ... After.taking down the sworn ■fidciKcnte of all who knew any. 'ling oi the sad aftiiir, examining he premises, the body of the de- < wed. ic.. the coron *r returned a

•verdict in accordance with the above facts, but was unable to discover any clue to the cause of suicide. The deceased was about fortyfour years of age. And has been married 29 years, and been the mother of eleven children, eight of whom are still living. She was a large, strung woman and had made no complaint of ill health lately, except of a little neuralgia, last week. She went through her regular household duties on Saturday. In the forenoon Mrs. Anderson Jenkins called and after dark deceased’s sister, Mrs. VV. Price, saw her at the gate. To both of these she appeared natural and said she was better of her neuralgia. Her domestic relations are believed to have been pleasant? and her devotion rs a*, wife is attested by. her husband, who can find ho cause for her self dial ruction.

♦ Another suicide. —Mention has been recently made in this paper of the removal of Carl Keeler, late of Hanging Grove tp., this county, to Jamestown, Dakota, near which place he owned a farm, lately purchased from F. J. Sears of this place. Mr. Koeller, with his family, started for Dakota, on Saturday, the 10th inst. The Chicago papers of Tuesday contain the particulars of his suicide, at Jamestown, by cutting his throat with a rusty jack-knife. He«stabbed himself in the abdomen in several places, and nearly severed his windpipe. At last accounts he was still living, but death was momentarily expected.