August 26, 1890
Mrs. S., a widow who lives on Myrtle Ave. cut her throat with a dull knife at an early hour. She was discovered by her son, Walter, a lad of 14, who works for a man in Gallatin, but happened to be in the village at that time, went to his mother’s house. Three or four small children were in the house with their mother , but they could not tell where she was. Walter made inquiries and attempting to enter a room adjoining the kitchen, could not open the door far enough to get through. His sister forced her way and unlocked another door through which the brother entered and found his mother lying against the first door, her head and neck across a rug, a piece of carpet and an old pair of pantaloons, under which lay a bloodied table knife. She made an ugly gash under the chin, severing the muscle and cords which connect the larynx with the tongue, but not severing the jugular, though perforating the windpipe. physicians were summoned and did all in their power to save the poor woman’s life. On being asked what led her to commit such a rash act, she wrote on a tablet that the authorities of the Roman Catholic church were about to make trouble for her because her children went to other Sunday schools. This notion was purely imaginary. It is reported that in the past she had said and done things no sane person would, but there was no reason to believe she would turn a violent hand to herself. Before committing the deed she had set the table, procured a quantity of candy, put a piece of crepe on the door and in the cellar a bouquet in a box of dirt with a white sheet thrown onto it. She was still alive two days later but with no chance of recovery as she was rapidly failing.