The Paducah sun. [volume] (Paducah, Ky.) 1898-1906, 1904-07-05
Suicide of Mrs. MOllie Coates
This Morning.
Left a Note Saying she Was Not Crazy
and Jumped Into River at
Foot Of Ohio Street.
SHE GAME FROM ANNA, ILL.

The suicide early this morning Of
Mrs. Mollie Goats, of III Jones street
and the pathetic note she left hei
husband and children, reveal case
of unusual desolstion and sadness.
she claims that she was an obstacle in
the way OF her children, and had been
unhappy ever since her mother died
nearly year ago at Anna, Ill She
took her life by jumping from some
bsrges into the river at tine foot OF
Ohio street about 8 O'Clock this morn
ing.
Tom Reed, the furniture factory
wstohman, and the watchmen Of sew
eral boats in the vicinity OF the n.
@. & st. l.. wharf at the foot of Ohio
street, were startled early this morn
ing by seeing a woman jump off sew
eral parges into the river.
An effort was made by them to
rescue her, but she came to the sur.
face only twice and then sank to rise
no more. The water was not very
deep, and within twenty minutes after
her head sunk from view the body was
recovered by Fred johnson, river
watchmsn for the Psducah Furiture
Company.
The woman proved TO be wife of j.
r. Goats. 80 years old, and the mother
of three small children. Life was
extinct and her family WAS at once
notified. 1t was then probably not .
o'clock, ana the body remained near
where it was taken ashore until Coro-
ner Peal arrived.
The woman after leaving home near
Seventh and Jones street, first walked
down the n. O. & st. L, track,
through the iron furnace yard, aud
then crossed towards the right TO some
barges moored against the bank. She
stopped on the barges and began to
scrape the mud from her shoes, and
then, apparently having done this to
her satisfaction. she walked TO the
edge Of the barges ana deliberately
Jumped overheard. Those who CHANGED
to see her had no idea OF her intention
until they saw her calmly throw her
self into the water
The following note was found
where she evidently had Just finished
writing it before leaving home for the
river:
Paducah. XIV, July 5. O'Clock in
the morning.
], Mollie Goats, write this so there
will be no dispute Of my death. II
will be my own self that does this
takes my life. I am very unhappy
and have been since the 18th Of last
July, 1908, my mother died in the
town Of Anna very suddenly. / was
eft all alone and finding could not
iced and clothe my three little babies,
Francis, Blossom and Helen, by my
self, brought them and came to their
father for help, but as he Is disable to
support them and my constitution Is
worn out, can't do no more, and
now make my last request. Give
them to the good sisters. Don't
never part the three IL IL is IN Gods
power to keep them together. am
not insane. Please don't say was.
Only an obstacle in my children's
way. They Will be better Off with |
the sisters than with me. II anyone |
doubts this being my handwriting |
show il TO Mr.. Cryus Hsrrell and
wife, Of Paduoah. And there arc
others that will testify to it. Ny
home and birthplace Is Anna, ILL.,, my
age 30, and birthday the 3rd Of Feb
ruary. / am a widow divorced, but
my hubssnd, J. X. Goats, 10 the father
Of my children. Frances was o the
9th of June, Blossom was the 2Sth
Of November and Helen was the
2ith Of January. l bid my friends |
and babes adieu.
MOLLIE COATS.
The writing is quite legible, but the
punctuation, spelling and grammar are
bad.
Her husband did not know that she
mad left tne house until notified of her