Meade County news. [volume] (Meade, Kan.) 1900-1918, 1905-11-30
DEATH BY HER OWN HAND.
Tragic End of Mrs. L. L. Hill
at Freeman, in this county

From the Cass Co. Mo-, Democrat, Nov. 23.
Mrs. Blanche Hill, the wife of l..
l.. Hill, died at Freeman, Wednes-
day afternoon as a result of a self
inflicted gun shot wound. The cir
cumstances surrounding the death
and the causes leading up to it are
particularly pathetic, and the little
town of Freeman and the entire COM
munity are grievously shocked by
the news.
Mrs. Hill has been in i'll health
for the past six or seven years, be-
ing confined to her bed at various
intervals, and having been thus con-
fined since last Thursday. Mrs.
Mary Gregg, a neighbor and very
close friend of the deceased, as was
her custom, went to the Hill home
Wednesday morning to assist in dis
charging the duties incident to the
household during Mrs. Hills illness
and upon completing her work told
her friend that she would be COM
PEELED to run over to her home 10
look about something in the house
but that she would be gone but a
short time. Mrs. Hill answered that
this would be alright and told her to
stay an hour.
Upon leaving the Hill home Mrs.
Gregg called to Mr.. Hill, who was
in the back yard, and told him to go
and stay with his wife while she was
away. He started to the house and
when but short distance from the
back door heard the report of the
revolver. Immediately alarming
Mrs. Gregg who had gone but few
steps they entered the house.
1t required only,a few seconds to
the husband and friend of
what had occurred when they enter
ed the sitting room where Mrs. Hill
had been lying on the couch. She
had secured the revolver, which they
had owned for ten or twelve years
and bought to furnish the wife pro-
lection and give her feeling of Sc
curity when left alone at night, and
had placed the barrel against her
body and discharged the weapon.
The bullet entered the left side
about an inch above the heart.
This occurred at ten O'Clock in
the morning, and the poor woman
suffered in an unconscious condition
until one-twenty in the afternoon
when death ended all.
There is no question in the minds
of the many friends that this family
had made in Freeman since their ar
rival there a little more than a year
ago, that the long years of illness
had brought on melancholia and
dependency which completely un
balanced the invalid at times. We'd
nesday morning she was more de-
spondent than usual, and to this is
charged the cause of the sad affair.
During her years of sickness the hus-
band, while at times discouraged,
has been attentive, loving and kind
ever doing that which would please
the humor of his wife or many man
ner relieve her suffering.
Besides the husband there sur
wives six year old son. Mr.. Hill
and his family came to Freeman IN
October 1904 from near Cimarron
Kansas where they had lived about
a year after leaving California, their
native state. Mr.. Hill bought out
the interest of Shaft & Son and con-
ducts both the mill and saw mill at
Freeman.
The funeral was held from the
family home this afternoon (Thurs-
day) at two-thirty, and remains laid
to rest in the Freeman Cemetery un-
der the auspices of the Royal Neigh
bors. To the grief stricken husband
and little son the Democrat with
many other friends and acquaint-
ances throughout the vicinities of
both Freeman and this city, extends
its heartfelt sympathy in this sad be-
reavement.
Mrs. Hill has many friends in this
and Gray county who regret to hear
of her rash act.
The news has reached here that
Mr.. J. Park Russell and Miss Jessie
Klappenberger were joined in mar
riage at Penalosa Kansas, on the
I1th inst. The many friends of
Park at this place will be glad TO
hear of his good fortune and will
join US in wishing Mr.. and Mrs.
Russell all the pleasures of long
and prosperous married life.-Ash-
land Clipper.
His many Meade friends also ex-
4 i