The Oskaloosa herald., 1908-05-28
GIRL WIFE SEEKS
TO END TROUBLE
rs BELIEVED TO HAVE COMMIT.
TED SUICIDE.
JUMPS INTO SKUNK RIVER,
Though No One Witnessed the Deed,
There ls Little Doubt To the
Fate of Mrs. Grace
Sauser.


cred just below the dam. It was
being rolled over and over in the
water fall, and hard work was ex-
perieneed in getting II to shore.
Mrs. Grace Sauser. a pretty eight
een-year-old girl, wife of Floyd Sau-
ser, committed suicide just at dusk
Saturday night by drowning in Skunk
river The body has not been recov,
cred. The girl deliberately walked
into the water from the north bank
of the river. west side of the wagon
bridge and a point north from the
west end of the water works pumping
station. No one saw her enter the
water, but she was previously seen in
the woods near the spot, the tracks of
the small shoes in the soft mud, which
lead to the waters edge and did not
turn back, and the frantic actions OF
a pet water spaniel about the place
would tend to indicate the suicide. d.
The. work for the recovery of the
body was commenced early Sunday
morning by the water works force
and those who had spent the night at
the river, Others soon arrived and it
was continued throughout the day
without success. A party of workers
with hooks, poles and lines, dragged
every inch of the water above the dam
between the point where the foot
prints were found and a quantity of
dynamite was also used, but without
success.
The river is high, being bank full
and very muddy, The current is swift
at the point where the girl entered the
water and the body has most likely
passed over the dam and will be found
some distance down stream. The
search viii be continued today below
the dam. ..-.-..
Cause For the Act.
The cause of the suicide is attribut |
ed to an unbalanced state of mind of |
the unfortunate child. The girl seem
ed unhappy. somewhat morose and
had been grieving over the death of
a fayorite grandfather to an inordi-
nate degree that might have caused
arrangement of the mind. She had
been acting in an unusual manner for
several se1s and her unusual behavior
b Ls LssrfPtiGsldd BY her friends She |
was absent-minded and, pre-oecupied
to degree that caused comment. The
suicide idea was not new with her. as
she had previously made an attempt /,
to take her own life.
The deceased was the daughter of
Mr.. and Mrs. Joe Bishop, No. 203
South | street. She was High school
graduate, an active and energetic girl,
and had found employment in several
places about the city. She was nat
urally of a loving and lively disposi-
tion and was exceedingly bright and
capable. She was a favorite in a
large circle of friends.
Shows Melancholy.
She was married to Floyd Sauser in |
Oskaloosa on the evening Of October |
81. 1907. on Halloween. Her parents |
opposed the union for time, thinking |
the girl too young and too unsettled in |
her disposition. She was sent away,
but returned to the city and was per
mitted to marry. Mr.. Sauser had a |
good position offered him at Water
no where the young couple went and
began housekeeping. Here the bride |
almost Immediately became lonesome |
and unhappy. She was without friends
and acquaiDtances. and took, to brood |
ing. She wanted to return to her
PARENTS, The young husband argued
Alth the girl wife to no effect ana
when she thought she could not re
turn she attempted to end her exist
ence by jumping in the river at Wat
erloO. The husband was just in time
to prevent the hysterical girl from ac-
complishing her purpose. This un-
happy mood continued until Sauser
consented to return to the old home.
The couple have been living in the
city now about six weeks. They Sc
cured a cottage just few doors re-
moved from the parental Bishop home
and were fixed up in cosy and home. |
like manner. But the girl was unhap-
py. The death of her grandfather,
George Cumpton, of Colville. Washing !
ton, was announced early in May. |
Grace had been fayorite with the |
old man She had visited in Washing
ton with him. He also had opposed |
her marriage and had made every in
ducement for the girl to remain with
him, and being man, OF means prom
ised her any and everything. The
girl was unduly grieyed at the death
OF the old man and nothing would com
fort her.
Girl Buys Poison.
Saturday afternoon Mrs. Sauser
went to the Blakeslee drug store and
purchased quantity Of strychnine,
saying she wished to use the poison
to kill rats She signed the required
form. She went into the park and for
a long time sat in the shade deeply
absorbed in thought Here she was
found by Mrs. Edith Friend CatchpooL
The girls had been intimate chums
since childhood and we're close com
panions Grace said she wanted Edith
10 walk around with her awhile. and
they went hero and there about the
city. Grace led the way into the
porth part OF the city toward the