The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1871-04-28
From the Review and Examiner.l
DISTRESSING SUICIDE.
A Woman Hangs Herself I'm Wash
tuxtOn CO6nty.

1nStOn SOunty.
Between five and six o'clock on We'd
nesday morning oflsst week Mrs Louisa
Elliott, widow Of George Elliott; late
constable Of Morris township this
county, committed suicide at her resi-
dence, about three.fourths Of a mile
southwest Of Prosperity. The family
consisting of herself and three child
ron arose somewhat earlier than usual,
Mrs. Elliott appearing to he in a great
hurry to get the morning work done,
that she might, as she said, commence
baking pies for those who might attend
the sale of her late husbands personal
property, which had been appointed for
the Friday and Saturday following.
She sent the two older children (both
girls) to the barn to feed some Of the
stock, and they returned to the house
in a few minutes afterward, supposlng
their mother was milking during their
absence; but seeing the buckets in the
kitchen, they MIXED two cows while
their brother Willie (the youngest) was
looking for the mother. He soon found
her in back room up stairs, hanging
to joice. He says he noticed a faint
movement OF the fingers but OF course,
being only nine years Of age, he did not
have sufficient presence Of mind to at
tempt to restore her" He went to the
window Of the room and told his sisters
that "his mother was hung" Martha,
the younger of the two girls, aged
eleven years, at once ran up to neigh
boris (Silas Wingel's) and said to him,
Mother is gone! mother is gone too,
(The death Of the father had occurred
but short time previously ''.
Mr.. Winget hurried to the house OF
Mrs. Elliott, and was soon Joined by
other neighbors, who took down and
removed the body to an adjoining room.
They found that she had placed around
her neck surcingle in the form Of a
moose, with the ends passed over the
end OF joice and buckled together,
and the moose so placed as to produce
strangulation in a short time by the
weight of her body. drawing upon it.
A small chair was Immediately under
her; her knees were bent and elevated
above the bottom of the chair six or
eight inches; her feet were Tapped
across each other and rested quite
heavily on the floor her heels were
pressed apart, seemingly by the pressure
on the toes; the legs between the feet
and knees rested slightly on the front
rung of the chair: and under the
surcingle, around the front part Of the
neck, she had placed, apparently with
some care, cloth. These preparations
indicate that the suicide was committed
with considerable deliberation, and had
been in contemplation prior to that
morning; and this belief is strengthen
ed by the contents OF folded note
found pinned to the bosom Of her dress,
as follows:
81 cannot stand to he here the day
of the sale feel so bad ever since my
husband death do not want to live.
| want all the sheep and stock OF all
kinds sold, and everything in the house
sold. want Taylor William Elliott to
take my three children to his house and
keep them there until he gets good
places for them Him to keep Willie
and raise him as his own son. have
So in the drawer, take it and get the
children some clothes, as they have not
got any yet. want Silas Winget to
take care OF the cattle and sheep, and
horse, till the sale. Mr. Winget, do you
put two Of the best feather beds up for
the girls, and the blankets, sheets and
pillow Cases.
Justice of the Peace Matthias Mi =
ton, of Prosperity, held All inquest upon
the body, the jurors being 5. Bayard
McVay, II. NJ. Bell, Isaiah Sanders,
A. L. Hayden, S. S. Bell, and w. J.
Lindley. A verdict was rendered in
accordance with the above facts.
Mrs. Elliott was aged about fifty
years, and was highly esteemed by all
who enjoyed her acquaintance. Her
tragic demise has cast deep gloom
over the entire community.