The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1900-06-28
KILLS HERSELF,
Miss Ollie Jo3ilasG5fi,7 81 Lcfi6 creek
township; Hangs Herself
In Barn Left.

News Ras brought to this city tues.
day evening that Miss Ollie johnson,
the seventeen.year.old daughter IF
Levi johnson, had committed suicide
by hanging herself. Coroner DR.. B. r.
McAllaster drove over to the scene Of
the tragedy that evening and held the
inquest
From the facts gathered from the
parents it would seem that poor health
caused her TODD che rash act.
She arose early in the morning and
attended to the household duties as
common, the family with the exception
Of Mr.. johnson went to neighhors
leaving her alone. !,
AT noon she prepared dinner as usual
and her father went to work in the yard.
About 2 o'clock he NOTICED that she was
not around the house but thinking
nothing was wrong he went to work
again until about $40 O'Clock he be-
came uneasy and began to look for her.
Thinking perhaps she had gone to q
neighhors he went to her room but
found everything as usual, he then went
to the barn and called to her and re-.
ceiving no answer looked up in the loft
and to his surprise saw his daughter
hanging from cross beam.
From appearances she had placed
some tressles to stand on and after Sc
curing the rope to the beam and around
her neck had pushed them to one side,
death being caused by strangulatlon.
Coroner McAllaster empaneled the Jury
and the following Witnesses testified as
CYRUS sMITH.
was acquainted with the deceased,
having known her for about Is years.
have never seen or heard anything
that made me think that she contem-
plated suicide, or that she was dissatis-
fed or discontinued. know of no
cause for her act. | first beard that
she was dead about 5~p. m. and arrived
at Mr.. Johnson's about 6 p. M, June
26, 1900.
IRENE JOHNSON.
am the mother of the deceased,
She had been in rather poor health
since an attack of la grippe some 8
years ago. She had been in poorer
health than usual during the past few
months. l think that she was satisfied,
never heard her say word to the con-
trary. know no cause whatever, ex.
cept possibly poor health that would
cause her to be despondent. She had
had no quartels or disagreements that
know Of.
LEVI JOHNSON.
am the father of the deceased, She
lived at home all of her life, and has
apparently been contented and satisfied
with the surroundings. Her health has
not been good; memory has not been
very good since an attack of la grippe 6
years ago. She acted as usual in all
respects to-day, doing her work in the
house, preparing the dinner and wash
ing the dishes. at about 2 p. M. l
noticed that she was not about the
house and thinking that she might have
gone to q nelghbors, looked to see if
any OF her clothing were gone, hut did
not miss any. then did some more
work in the yard until about $3.50 p, m,
when ! decided to make more careful
search of the premises. ] went to the
barn and looking up into the loft found
her hanging from cross beam. Iuntied
the ropes and let her down. She show.
ed no signs of life. l then called Mr.. A.
Wilson.
ANDREW WILSON.
l was called to the home Of Levi John
son and was told that his daughter
Ollie had hanged herself in the barn. l
went to the barn. = went there and
found her there dead with a rope still
tied about her neck. There were some
tressels or saw horses that l supposed
she had stood on until the rope was
fastened to- the beam. She probably
had pushed them away allowing the
body to swing clear OF the floor. | had
had no idea that she would ever do such
ia thing. l know of no cause for the act.
After hearing the testimony the jury
composed of DR.. D. Il. Dudley, A. P.
Woodland and p. G. Howe returned the
following verdict:
"We the jury find that Ollie johnson
came to her death by being strsngled
by rope, placed around her neck by
her own hand with suicidal intent"