Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1901-04-11
DROWNED HERSELF.
Mrs. Roswell Bliss Jumps Into Fiat River.
Her Mind Is Thought 10 Have
Raen uaafa.f

Her Mind IL Thought To Have
Been Affected.
One OF the most shocking occurren
ces whice has taken place in this cit!
or vicinity for some time, was the dis
coyery Tuesday OF the drowning o
Mrs. Roswell Bliss in the river, appar
emily by her own free act. The body
was discovered floating In the pond al
the Spencer h l. x Il. Co. dam q
short distance below Smyrna along
about o'clock in the afternoon. II
was removed at once but no one was
found who could identify her for so e
time, but after few hours friend OF
Bliss from Bedding who had been in.
formed that Mrs Bliss was missing,
drove to Smyrna and at once identified
her as that unfortunate lady.
The Bliss home is short distance
from the Brink school house about
three miles southeast Of the city. Mrs.
Bliss prepared dinner as usual for her
husband and man and after eating the
same they went to the fields TO work.
Mr.. Bliss says he did not notice any
thing in the least unusual in her APP
pearance, manner or actions only that
he did notice that she appeared TO be
in hurry for him TO get away from
the house TO his work. A short time
afterward he saw her leave the house
and go down the road but thought
nothing of it, supposing she was going
to some of the neighbors But it APP
pears she made straight for the river
which is about three miles from their
place. People along the road report
having seen her pass and say that she
was walking quite fast. Her tracks
have since been found leading down to
the river bank and even the footprints
from where she evidently took the fa-
tai leap. This was at a point about
one-half mile above Smyrna and the
body floated down to the place where
it was found as stated. And there is a
peculiar feature that puzzled many
and caused some question at first as to
the manner of her taking off. 1t is
customary in all cases OF drowning for
the body to sink to the bottom and not
come to the surface for anywhere
from week to two weeks, and some
therefore thought she must have been
dead before entering the water in
which case the body most likely would
float. But whatever the reason in
this case the evidence seems to be alb
soutely plain that she deliberately
went to the river bank and jumped in,
aud the coroner's jury which was i'm
panelled by justice Chas. Dumon rem
dered their verdict accordingly.
Mr.. and Mrs. Bliss have resided up
on their farm many years and were
both most highly respected by all their
neighbors and acquintances. They
have only one child, daughter, Miss
Bertha, but a sister OF Mrs. Bliss re-
sided with them. They were fairly
well to do, Mrs. Bliss having received
quite sum few years ago from an
eastern estate to which she was one OF
the heirs. Quite recently she had also
received $4,000 additional in a similar
manner. They were all believers in
the Seventh Day Adventist doctrine
and Mrs Bliss and sister made trip
10 Battle Creek to attend the big meet
ngs of the followers of that faith in
progress there. She carried with her
-, 500 which it was understood she in |
ended to place while there In some |
manner so as to give her fair returns. |
She returned from Battle Creek Mon
lay noon, and when asked by her hus-
'and ii she had placed her money all
light did not seem to wish to say any
hing about it. Since her death no
mortgages, notes, receipts or papers of
my kind have been discovered to show
or IL and from these facts it is sur
missed that perhaps she had been led
While there to make some disposal of
Ter money which she had since regret
ed and which had preyed upon her
1ind until she had become mentally :
Unbalanced and decided to commit the
ash act which she did. Her sister
rho did not return with her may pos
IDLY be able to throw some light upon
his part of it. She certainly had no
ther reason so far as known. 1t is a
cry sad affair and Mr.. Bliss and the
ther friends have the deepest SYM
athy Of many friends. She was
bout 56 years of age. Funeral SER
ices will be held at / o'clock Satur-
ay from the home.
The churches of the citv all contain