The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1883-04-17
FOUND DEAD IN BED.
The Sudden Demise of Mrs.
Lanahan, an Aged Lady,
in East Sedalia.
She Attended to Her Household
Duties Tuesday Evening and
Died That Night.

an old resident of Sedalia For years SIN
lived near the WOODEN mills, where sh,
made living by selling the milk produce,
by her two cows. Finally her daughter
Miss Anna, who had been her only com
panion for years married brakeman by
the pame of Charley Reagan, who, il
course of time, built up cosy little home
at the corner of Wagner and Fifth streets
East Sedslia. Charley did not forget hi,
old mother-in-lsw, and fitted her up q
small house in one corner of his lot. The
old lady continued to milk her cows and
sell it to the neighbors, thereby taking care
of herself. One day the mangled remains
of Charley Reagan were carried home. He
was killed i'm an accident, and Mrs. Lana
han lost her best friend on earth.
After the death of her sOn-in-law, Mrs,
Lanahan continued to live in her cabin, IN
the corner of her daughters lot, but some
monition that she would not live much
longer, and she began to sell of her house-
hold effects, among other things her feather
bed. After this she slept in her daughter
kitchen. a mere cuddy hole of a room.
Last Monday morning Mrs. Kesgan took
her departure for Kansas City, 10 pay
friends there a visit. Before leaving, her
mother asked her how long she would be
gone. Upon Mrs. Reagan replying that
She would probably be gone three weeks, her
mother remarked: IF you stay away that
long I'll be dead before you return" Lit
tie did Mrs. Reagan imagine when her
mother told her this that her words would
prove prophetic.
Tuesday night, little before dark, Mrs.
Lanahan was observed by her nrighbors to
go from one window TO another of her
daughters house and close the shutters.
This was the last time she was seen
alive.
Mrs. Lanahan was noted as an early
riser, and yesterday morning, when 8
O clock rolled around, and nothing was
seen of her, and the shutters remained clos
ed, the daughter of Mrs. L. A. Watson, who
lives on the place adjoining, went over to
ascertain if anything was the matter with
Mrs. Lsnahan. By peeping through
the Stats of the shutter to the
window, the girl could see the
form of the old lady lying on her bed. per-
fectly motionless. The girl called aloud
and did her utmost to arouse, as she sup
posed, the sleeping woman, but without
avail The girl returned to her home and
told her mother that she believed Mrs.
Lanahan was dead. 1t was now out
O'Clock, and Mr.. Watson, who had been
down town, returned to his house and was
advised of the condition of affairs by his
family. He decided III once to invoke the
assistance of the police in investigating the
matter, and with that object in view,
started down town, but met Officer Joe
Gossage on the way. The officer accom-
panied Mr.. Watson to Mrs. Lanahan's
room, bat finding the doors and windows
fastened, he forced the door open with an
axe and entered, finding the old lady not
only dead, but perfectly black in the face.
The lamp was still burning, snd BY the
bedside was chair, on which
there was a cup half filled with water and
a teaspoon containing land. Every
thing was in place and there was no
evidence of violence of any kind. The
officer noted everything carefully and then
locked the room up and reported the death
to Coroner Overstreet, who Immediately
ordered the constable to impanel jury to
hold an inquest.
The jury sfter viewing the remains and
hearing the testimony, which was meagre,
rendered verdict that deceased came to
her death from natural causes.
Mrs. Reagan was telegraphed to come
home at once, but knew nothing of the
death of her mother until informed thereof
upon her arrival at the depot. She was
completely overwhelmed with grief and
nearly Frustrated by the shock.