Grand Rapids herald. [volume] (Grand Rapids, Mich.) 1892-1959, 1893-08-15
SHE ENDED HER LIFE
Mis- Horace Roger Fatal
Dtsught Of carboIic Acid
EXPLAINED BY A LETTER
she Became Despondent ON Account
ofn Health and Deciaed %
Quiet Her Misery.

Mrs Horace Rogers Of No. Al Shana-
han court swallowed carbolic acid yes
terday afternoon with suicidal intent
and died at i:l0
After her death the following letter
enclosed in al envelope. upon which
Was written. Everybody read this" was
found lying on a table:
MosDAy MoEsiSo.
Aug. IA. 1872
~DH.R Norma. FArHER. SSsrEss. BHo-
THEIRS. HusBASD AND SoSs:
1T il with weak and trembling hand
that write few lines 10 LET you know
why l do 50. IL is on account al poor
health. Any one with as poor health as
l have cannot enjoy themselves any
where on earth. and IL they cannot they
are better OF out OF their misery. ] can
see that this trouble In the back If
my neck and shoulders Is goieg 70
my head. aud | DO not want 70 live ia
any asylum. ! had rather die. Nedi.
cine don't do me any good any more.
have been failing since little Mildfed's
death. / am too weak 10 stand II.
Horace wants me to 90 10 Pontiac. but
DO not want to 90. IL would not be any
comfort 10 me or any one else. because
am not vel enough 10 visit and enjoy
myself L am afraid IL would make me
feel bed 20 see them take comfort with
their little girl and think / could not
have mine. Ii il all for the best. cup
pose. il / could only stand IT, am not
any good 10 the rest OF my family the
way am now. and getting worse all the
time. IL is hard 10 part from them. but
il is all for the best. / want you all TO
think so and not mourn. From your
daughter. mother and wife"
On the opposite page was postscript
reading as follows:
Il have been thinking would do this
for several weeks past. but did not get
at IT. i did not want 10 get any teeth,
for / knew | would not wear them long.
Let everybody read this-all Of the reia-
tives. Good bye. l am sorry. but have
got to. Do not mourn. III you knew
how bad my head has felt for long
time you would not"
Lying upon the table was a slip Of pa
per upon which was written, Frank is
up on the hill"
Horace Rogers, her husband. Is mo-
torman in the employ OF the Consoli-
dated Street Railway company. and hav-
ing worked yesterday morning he lay on
the bed after dinner 10 take a nap pre-
paratory TO working last evening. At
3 o'clock he was awakened by his wife.
who said: Horace. l am afraid
have taken the wrong medicine" He
replied, "Whaty" and she answered
"Yes; i have taken carbolic acid
She Immediately fell over on tho
bed and was attacked by tremor. MIR.
Rogers summoned DIR. Hoag. but when
he arrived the patient was in comatose
condition. from which she did not re-
cover. She died at 4:l0 A four-drachm
bottle was found on the table labeled
carbolic acid, and containing about one
drachm OF the fluid. 1t was learned
that she bought the bottle and filed il
with carbolic acid at Forbes drug store
about 10 o'clock yesterday morning.
She prepared dinner and the family.
which included Mr.. Rogers father and
mother. who lived with them. and their
| little son Frank. partook OF the noon
anything unusual. After her death Cor.
oner Locher was notified and he called
DR. Penwarden. No evidences OF car
bolic acid could be seen around the dead
woman's mouth and lips. and il was de.
cided To hold an autopsy on the remains
this morning to determine whether
death resulted from taking carbolic
acid. or whether some other poison was
/ taken.
The Frank referred to on the slip oil
paper was her little hoy. and ..,iildrcd'
refers to their little girl who died July
last, OF scaylet fever. Her husband told
the coroner that his wife had not com.
planned much Of bad health. and had
done her kousework without any appa
rent difficulty. She was about So years
old. and leaves besides her husband Q
small boy.