Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1900-08-30
DIES BEFORE MIRROR,
Mrs. Samuel Zimmerman Sees
Herself Commit
Suicide.
DEED Is DELIBERATELY PLANNED
Woman Leaves Notes Reciting
Domestic Differences That
Led to Her Rash Act.

The jury impanelled by Coroner
Eckhart yesterday afternoon to in
quire into the circumstances attend
ing the death of Mrs. Samuel Tim
norman, of South Rock Island,
whose suicide was briefly announced
in last evenings ARGUS, consisted of
G. A. Solander, James w. Smith. NJ.
Z. Rooney. G.. A. Smith, q. l.. Nash
and Joseph Mier. The verdict was
that the deceased came to her death
from a shot fired by her own hand
from a 32-calibre revolver, and taking
effect in her head.
The evidence showed that the deed
was deliberately planned. The I'M
fortunate woman was alone at her
home, which is a hundred yards west
of the Ninth street road near Sears.
She robed herself in her night dress,
locked the doors. adjusted a mirror
which was over a dresser in the cor
ner of her bedroom so that it faced
downward to the floor, called through
the window to a neighbor woman,
Mrs. Gates, asking her to come over,
then sat down on the floor before the
dresser, placed the revolver Just
below her right temple, pointing up
ward, and fired.
When Mrs. Gates and man named
Wright broke into the house Mrs.
Zimmerman was dead, lying on her
back with her head in n pool of blood.
A Former Attempt.
From a letter she left and from the
testimony of those who knew her, it
appears that the cause of the act was
a state of dependency growing out of
real OF fancied grievances against her
husband. They had been married
about five years and have no children.
About four years ago they separated
and the wife brought suit for aban-
dOnment, but her case was dismissed.
She also attempted suicide, but her
aim was bad, and she only wounded
herself ia the shoulder. Since that
time their married life has had it's ups
and downs. Lately Mrs. Zimmerman
complained to an intimate friend that
she could not get any money from
took about $50, watch and the re-
volver with which she suicided from
his pocket and sought to make believe
it had been done by robbers. Last
Sunday she went to visit n cousin in
going again Tuesday and
not returning till midnight.
These events served to revive do
mestic trouble, Tuesday, before
leaving for Davenport, Mrs. thinner
man told her neighbor, Mrs. Gates,
W here she could find note (which
she (Mrs. Zjmmerman) had written
to her husband. Jack, who was run
ming poker room in this city, and
wished it delivered to him. 1t was
done and he read it, but paid no at
tention to it. The note was addressed
to Mrs. Gates and began, Dear
Mile" 1t stated the writer's name
was Ottie L. Zimmerman and she was
rs years of age; that her home was
n New York City, where she had a
sister and an aunt. Also that she |
lated to leave her home and pets, but |
hat she was going to kill herself for
lack. The disposal of her earthly be- |
onginGs was provided for and the |
tote ended with, From rour friend, |
our broken-hearted friend, Mrs. o
/. Zimmerman"
Not Taken Seriously.
Another piece of paper was found
IN which the woman had evidently |
.ttenpted to write few lines just
,efore she took the fatal step, but the |
writing was scarcely Ineligible and
he words so jumbled that the sense
vas hopelessly lost. While the threat
# suicide was so openly made and
riends attempted to dissuade her,
hey did not appear to have taken her