Omaha daily bee., 1903-01-20
FINDS PARENTS BOTH DEAD
L. O. Hanr ah Of OAKLAND Discovers Then
with Their Threats Out
DEsPoNDENT OVER FINANCIAL REVERsEs
Woman Had E~ridentIy Killed Her
Aged HusbaR and Then Cut Her
own Throat with Butcher
Knife.

Mr.. and Mrs. John Hannah, an aged
couple, were found at an early hour yes
terday in their bedroom at the home OF
their son, l.. c. Hannah, a well known
farmer OF Pottawattamie county, living
two miles northeast Of the town of Oak
land. with their threats cut. Both had
apparently been dead several hours when
discovered by their son. The man was
lying on the bed, clad only in his night
clothes, while the body OF the woman. par
TALLY dressed, lay on the floor within a
few feet Of the bed. In the hand Of the
woman was tightly g-asped a large butcher
knife covered with blood, evidence OF the
manner in which the aged couple had
ended their lives.
At first IL was supposed that both, being
tired Of living, had sought death by cut
ting their thToats. This theory Of a double
suicide was, however. dispelled later on by
the discovery Of a note in the handwriting
Of Mrs. Hannah. This note, written in
pencil on a small slip of paper and not
addressed to anyone, was as follows:
81 am going to kill the old man and
myself, as we are Of no use to you"
II is supposed that Mrs. Hannah intended
~ ADNN ~ 70 1bhs a. AASNb AeANhAN
that Mrs. Hannah cut. the throat Of her
husband as soon as he had retired to bed
and then cut her own.
Mr.. ard Mrs. Hannah, who we're both
about 20 years Of age, formerly lived in
Fremont county, where Mr.. Hannah owned
considerable land and was reputed to be
a man Of considerable wealth. From FIRE.
mont county they moved onto a farm in
Mills county, but for some wears past have
made their home with tn eir son, l.. G.
Hannah, near Oakland.
During recent years Mr.. Hannah lost
most Of his property and his troubles were
aggravated by a serious illness which neces-
STATED his undergoing an operation at
the Woman's Christian association hos
pital in this city In November, 1901. Fail
ure to regain his health and the fact that
his fortune had slipped away from him
had made the old man respondent and he
constantly worried over his condition for
the la7t year or more. The aged wife had
worried over her husbands dependency I'M
til II is believed she must have become
! partially demented. although friends Of the
couple say they had not noticed, anything
strange in their actions.
The discovery of the tragedy was made
by the son.
men the CUuplc ldllSu W appear at NhC
breakfast table at the usual hour he went
TO their apartment. The sight which met
his gaze on entering the room unnerved
him and he was completely Frustrated by
the tragedy. None OF the members OF the
J family had the slightest intimation that
the aged couple intended taking their lives,
IS when they retired Sunday night they
appeared to be as usual. Whether they
| had talked the matter over and agreed to
! end their lives togsther, or whether, as
| intimated by the note left by her, Mrs.
| Hannah first killed her husband and then
took her own life, will never.be known. Mr..
Hannah and his wife were people OF intelli-
! gence and high character and much re-
spected in the community in which they
lived.
Coroner Holds No Inquest.
Coroner Treynor went to the scene of
the tragedy last evening and after making
an investigation Of the facts decided not to
hold an inquest. His investigation brought
to light further facts connected with the
death OF the aged couple which tended to
show that Mrs. Hannah had killed her
husband before taking her own life.
Wounds on the old mans head and the
discovery Of a blood stained hammer under
the bed indicated that Mrs. Hannah had
stunned her aged husband while asleep In
bed and then cut his throat with the
butcher knife. There were several wounds
on the throat showing she had made sew
eral attempts before s~evering the jugulai
vein.
On the woman's throat were nine or ter
deep gashes, some OF them evidently made
with . penknife. Two blocd-stained per
knives were found in the room, one on the
window sill and the other on the floor neal
the body OF the woman. 1t is thought pos
sible that Mrs. Hannah may have first at
tempted to cut her husbands throat will
one Of the knives. The point OF TIT
butcher knife, which was found tightly
clasped in the dead woman's hand wa!
, imbedded in her throat.
From what Coroner Treynor learned III
stated last night that he was firmly of TIT
opinion that Mrs. Hannah, by CONSTANT!
brooding over her husbands sickness ha'
become mentally deranged.
Mr.. Hannah was rs years Of age and hi
wife "A. The funeral will be held Wednes'
day afternoon.