The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1903-09-10
TOOK CARBOLIC ACID.
Miss Cora Davis. of pledsanton,
Suicides While Dependent.

Last Monday about noon our little
i city experienced one of the greatest and
sadest shocks for many day. The
word went like fire before hurricane
that Miss Cora, the "a year old daughter
of Mr.. and Mrs. David Davis, had drank
carbolic acid and was dying at the
family home. Friends from all over
town went hurrying to the scene with
the hope of being some assistance in
saving her life, and were stricken with
grief on entering the home and there
seeing the lifeless form peacefully sleep
ing, her eyes closed in death. Medical
aid was hastily called, but was too late,
the deadly poison had done it's work.
The following note which she Left and
/ which was addressed to her sister
Bertha is partly explanatory:
"Dear folks, 1 am going to drink ear
bolic acid and try to kill myself.
don't want to live but don't punish Edd
for he has been SO good and brought it
all on myself. l have been SO wicked
but can't help it.aPlease don't punish
him, it will beLmore than he can stand
to think would do such a thing but |
am in misery here on earth and make
everybody else miserable. so goodbye to
all and Edd, goodbye one and all
CORA"
The only reason that the family can
assign for Miss Cora's rash act is that
she has been in poor health for a yeal
or more and has become despondent and
discouraged, as she had lately been Of
ten heard to remark, "wish could die,
"what is to become of us, "take a knife
and cut my throat" and expressions
which might cause suspicion by people
: other than relatives. of a desire of sell
destruction, and it was only lately that
her mother became alarmed, sufficiently
to insist on the companionship of hel
sisters 1t was only last Saturday she
returned from a weeks visit in Gains
vile with her sister, Mrs. Chas. Stroble
and Saturday night she sat up finishing
waist, which her sister jokingly said
"You must be going to be married il
that" She remarked, "No she was going
; to be buried in it," And Sunday SHE
seemed not to care to take any particu
lar notice of the surroundings but Cry
ing good deal of the time. Ed. Nc
Neil, of whom she speaks in the note
and whom she was going to MARI.
. Christmas, took her in the Afternoon
, Sunday to see the river, as severa
! was but little change, the same blan]
expressions or fits Of crying. Monda.
] morning she got up and ate breakfas
with the family as, afterwards he
, mother went into the garden and com
:. inc back she asked where Cora was ant
e being informed that she was up stairs
!. she sent one Of the other girls up to Sc
: what she was doing who going up foun'
the door closed and could hear her snor
: ing very loud. She did not disturb he
: but came back and told her mother sh
S WAS asleep. ADohu an iiotu i'tooI W -
. Davis went to call Cora for dinner ant
! on entering the room found the window
+ darkened and as soon as she saw he
recognized that death was there. Sh
: gathered the girl up in her arms an
!; carried her into another room an
!, hastily used what home remedies sh
could think of and in the meantime seno
) ing out the alarm. That was nearl
y noon, but the work had been done.
No one knows how much carbolic aci
= she drank as an empty two ounce vi;
/ was found in her room, nor is it possibl
to give the time she drank it.
7 Miss Cora had always borne the bes
j lof reputation, her character was spo