The St. Cloud journal. [volume] (St. Cloud, Minn.) 1866-1876, 1871-08-03
HEART.RENDING OCCURRENCE.
"A Well-knOwn and Estimable Wo.
man Commits Suicide.

HEARr.RENDING OCCURRENCE.
A Wcll-known and Estimable yyo.
man Commits Suicide.
This community was shocked on Tues.
day morning hy the report that Mrs. Axle
NJ. Davis, wife of the Hon, G. F. Davis. of
this city, had committed suicide by cutting
her throat with razor. The facts are rs
! follows:
For some three months past Mrs. Davis
has s"ff red greatly from chronic ir aamma-
t'"n<of the eyes, and her spirits have been
much depressed in Con sequence. On Tues
d~y morning she wakeued her husband be-
fore five o'clock. In response to an inqul.
~ as to how her eyes felt, she replied.
''Not 50 wells" and Mr. DAVIS, saying that
they would feel better after she had bal h.
ed them, started for his office, as has been
his custom, where he remains ur-
til the breakfast hour. In few
minutes afterwards, Miss Fannie Beal,
niece Of Mr.. Davis heard
groan, and running down stairs found
Mrs Davis lying on the floor in pool Ct
blood. Thinking her aunt had. burst a
! blood vessel, Miss B. ran to the nearest
ncighbors. Mr. Lewis Clark and Mr.. NJ. E.
| Nixon, and asked them to come over. On
moving slightly the body; which lay on its
thovyr ~
went at ouce for Mr.. Davis, aud for Capt.
l.. W. Collins, the County Attorney.
I 1t would seem as though Mrs. Davis had
| risen as soon o. her husband left the house,
and without making any change from her
night dress had passed through the dining
room into the kitchen and taken from q
shelf an old razor. Two slight wounds
were made on the neck under the chin, and
then, beginning under the left eur, by
| three distinct motions, the razor was
drawn al ound to the right ear, cutting
through into the spinal column. In
slant death ensued. The unfortunate wo-
man was most undoubtedly, at the time,
laboring under fit of temporary insanity,
| caused by her long continued and intense
sufferings.
After the arrival of the County Attor-
ney, Corouer's jury was summoned and
several witnesses examined. We give only
the testimony of DR.. A. E. Senkler, who
stated:
have been her attending physician for
the past three months; attended her once
or twice before; the deceased has been
suffering from chronic Inflammation Of the
eyes for three months past and general de-
bility l have examined the body l find
| a large incised wound Of the throat ex
lending through the upper portion Of the
larynx and serving the left carotid artery,
with the accompanying veins and nerves,
| extending from the line of the left ear to
the right angle of the lower jaw. through
! to the spine; the wound was made by q,
least five gashes, with sharp instrument
| like q razor; was made before death and
evidently caused death; most probably
made by the right hand; it could have
| been self-ibaicted easily; it could have
been inflicted by the razor iden flied by
Witnesses Clark and Nixon; during the
last three months there has been a great
change in the al condition Of the de-
ceased | think there has been a gradual
decline in her tai vigor which mani
tested itself in her being easily moved to
tears. and in continual melancholy, and
dependency Of ever recovering her health
l had not seen her for one week prior to
her dea.h.
The Coroner's jury returned the follow
in: verdict:
That the said Axle NJ. Davis came to
her death by her own hands, by means Of
wounds inflicted by razor in and about
her neck, at the city Of St.. Cloud, in the |
County of Stearps in the State of Mime
sofa, on Tuesday, the LIST day of August. |
A. D. 1871, at the hour of five o'clock and !
fifteen minutes in the forenoon; that at |
the time of the infliction OF said wounds !
The said deceased was lAboriug under men. |
tai alteration caused by illness Of long
duration.
In testimony whereof the sold Coroner |
and jurors Of this inquest have hereuuto !
set their hands the day and year aforesaid.
g. OVERBECK,
Coroner. |
IL. H. HERBERT,
a. MONTGOMERY,
IL. j. ROsENBERGER,
J. E. WEST,
JAMES CARLISLE.
J. P. WILSON,
Jurors.
Mrs. Davis was woman highly esteem
ed by the entire community for her kindli-
ness of heart, gentle disposition. and sim
ce,ity of manner. The funeral, which |
took place yesterday afternoon from the
Congregational church, was very largely Ut
tended, number Of persons being present
from neishboring towns. A universal
sympathy is felt and expressed for the af. !
flcted family.
THE ARREST OF S. q. .P1NNEY.-In an I
other article are given the pa, ticulars of |
the arrest Of number of persons along
the line of the Northern Pacific Railroad,
charged with selling liquor to Indians,
and among the rest Mr.. 8. D. Pinney, of
this city. We had call to-day from A. B
Freeman. who states that Mr.. Pinney was
not arrested at Oak Lake, although the
officers called at his store. He says he
came to this city with Mr. Pinney on Sab
bath. and that Mr.. P. took Monday morn
ing's train for St. Paul.
We afterwards had a call from NJ. E. L.
Wright, CT Sank Centre, who was with the
officers through the entire trip. He in
forms us that Major Bracket had warrant
for Mr.. Pinney when he went up, but did
not care to make the arrest until he had |
secured parties further on; and when
he returned, he found that Mr.. P. had left
several hours before for this city. Major
b. got aboard the train at Sank Rapids on |
Monday morning with some Of his prison
ers' and when Mr. P. stepped on at tho st.
Cloud depot. the Major presented the war;
rant. The was no attempt at resistance, as !
stated by the St. Paul Press
The restrictions imposed by tho gam |
law expired on Tuesday. During that apd |
the preceding day, there was general !
scatteration among the Nimrods for the
boundless prairies that stretch cut on the
east side of the river 'noward the setting
sum-" All sorts Of conveyances were pressed
into tho service. The bold huntsmen went