The Tipton advertiser. [volume] (Tipton, Cedar Co., Iowa) 1856-1962, 1877-06-07
WEARY OF LIFE.
The Wakefield Suiclde-COro.
ner's InQucst..-Tcslisnony and
Verdica.-.sBy her own Hand"

NNSahhS ttttSs hSWS WssS
brought to this place that young la
dy living with J. Mccartney. four
miles southeast of Clarence, had
killed herself with a shotgun. The
telegraph was brought into use, and
Wednesdays morning-tain brought
Coroner l.. l.. Sweet and hastily
summoning jury, physician and a
scribe we were soon on the road. The
wind was blowing a heavy gale
which curled the dust iato columns
that Heated far behind US as we spun
over the dusty highway toward our
destination. A ride of five miles and
we drew up in front of plain-look-
ing one and one-half story house. A
few of the neighbors were grouped
here and there talking half in whis-
per over the sad affair as ifafraid that
a louder talk might disturb the rest of
the dead. The situation of the house
is by no means unpleasant, and in
spite of the dread calamity that was
hanging over the place the sunshine
streamed down and frightened up the
outside lower world as If half inclined
TO dispel the gloom that came out
with an ley chill from Ia. open door
of the house.
Entering the house We were soon
viewing, with a reporters known in
quisitiveness, the room and its sur
roundings. The room is rather large
and has small part enclosed for a
pantry In the northwest corner, while
bed fills the corner made by reason
of the above room. An enclosed stair
way goes up at the northeast corner
of the room, and directly south of that
is an ordinary lounge on which the
deceased was in the habit of sleeping.
Pictures graced the walls, and on a
table and shelf were a good supply Of
well-worn books. The stairway leads
To an unfinished room over head. At
the foot Of the stairway was kept the
gun that only too true to the purpose
for which it was made had, but a few
hours previous TO this, sent Il human
being in the twinkling of an eye into
eternity. The gun itself is an old
fashioned, iron-barrelled, double shot
gun with 80 inch barrels.
The stair door stood open a. when
first found after the killing. The
body lay on the floor as ii had fallen,
the shotgun having been moved from
the fact that the second barrel con-
tanned similar load and caution and
prudence suggested that its location
be changed until needed With her
feet within about two feet Of the stair
way, head to the west and hands
crossed over the body, lay the remains
of Eliza Wakefield, and when first
found the gun was standing with the
stock on the floor and the muzzle
resting at an angle of about 40s against
the open stair door. Ii is safe to con-
c,ude that if deceased came to her
death. either by accident or design on
her part, that the gun occupied one of
the -trangest positions imaginable
that the chances for its standing in
that position are not one in million.
Still il must be concluded i'm the alb
sence of evidence to the contrary that
this was one Of those unexplained
things that are continually happening
and which human wisdom can never
explain. The deceased was of small
stature and was just budding into
what should have been a glorious
Homanhood. but her young life was
crushed from existence In a moment.
The charge after passing through
the body of the deceased had struck
the ceiling some eight feet back, then
glanced and struck door with only
power enough left to bury itself in the
wood.
No cause could be ascertained that
could have induced her to commit the
deed, and it will probably always re-
main profound mystery. A post
uortem was held, but no additional
facts were ascertained. The finding
ofjury was concurred in by all who
listened, and rs certainly the only
conclusion at which they could have
arrived. Below is the entire evidence
before the Coroner of Elisha Tanner,
Joseph Mccartney and Mrs. Mozart
ney:
Elisha Tanner being duly sworn,
says: Age 80, occupation, farmer;
residence, Massillon township
known deceased four years-have
thought ut times she was not in her
right mind. At times she would be
quite lively, and then she would have
spells of being very melancholy.
Know by her talk and actions that
she had some trouble. / last saw de-
ceased alive Tuesday evening at about
half past five o'clock. Invent to house
to get drink of water, met her coming
arouad the house-neither one of us
speaking. As started to go across
the road to work my little boy asked
deceased if he could go with her,
when she went into the house with
out answering him. She went into
house aud went toward stove; / cross
ed the road and went to work and
never again did l see her alive Saw
her take off her shoes about one
o'clock in the afternoon and the rest
of the day was barefoot. l went back
with Mr.. Mccartney 10 hoe potatoes
and while hoeing Mr.. Me. asked me,
aWhat n Disc was that ?D | reulied
that heard no noise. We continued
hoeing about half an hour when we
both went to the house. opened
the door and saw Lizzie lying on the
floor with her clothes on Are and ~
ing on her back. | called to Mr. Nc
CARNEY, and he came in and l think
he got the water and l put the fire
out. l saw double-barrelled shot
gun leaning against stair door and l
moved 1t to its place in the stairway
Have worked for Mr.. NJ. l3 years.
Deceased has often said to me that
she wished she could die. Said that
she had SO much trouble that life was
a burden to her. First knew deceased
in Johnston county, this State. She
was sister to my wife. She came
here with us about four years ago. l
have thought that she was little de-
ranged at times. Yesterday noticed
she was pale and nervous. Noticed it
in the morning when l went to work
on road. Deceased has often told me
that should see her dead. Know