The Big Sandy news. [volume] (Louisa, Ky.) 1885-1929, 1912-04-17
WOMAN SUICIDES.
Mrs. Matilda Cole Shoots
Herself in the Head.
A Widow, Worried Over Financial
Losses, Ends Her Life Early
Monday Morning.

AT the early dawn of last Mon
day the residents OF that part Of
Louisa known as Italy" were
aroused by pistol shots and were
startled by loud screams which en-
anated from the residence of Mrs
Matilda Cole and Mr.. and Mrs. G.
W. Richards Hurrying to the house
the near neighbors we're Mortified to
see Mrs. Cole in the arms of Mrs.
Richards, with two gunshot wounds
in her forehead and blood and
brains showing where the deadly
bullets had found lodgment
Physicians were hastily summon
ed, and DR.. j. C. Bussey responded
to the call. He found that one ball,
probably the first, had entered the
skull little to the left
of the center of the forehead,
and that the other had penetrated
the. brain somewhat nearer the lett
temple, The woman was uncons-
cious remaining in this condition
until she died, which was about five
o'clock That afternoon
On Tuesday morning undertaken
Kilgore. of Catlettsburg, embalmed
the body and in the afternoon ii
was sent to Point Pleasant, w. Va,
for burial Undertaken Augustus
Snyder, of this city, accompanied
the body
The story of the self-murder as
told by Mrs. Richards, who is
niece of the dead woman, is that
she and her aunt, the only occn-
pants of the house at the time, had
gone to bed as usual. At the hour
above mentioned she was awakened
by the first pistol shot and saw
Mrs Cole, fully dressed, seated in
a rocking chair directly in front of
a mirror, holding pistol in her
hand. She was paralyzed by the
sight, and before she could collect
her senses the woman raised the
weapon again, holding the pistol
some distance from her head, and
again fired, this second bullet do
ing its deadly work.
Mrs Richards says that for some
time her relative had been brood
ing over some financial losses, and
had become very respondent. Only
the day before her successful attack !
upon her own life she had proposed |
10 her niece that both should com
nit suicide by drowning themselves
N barrel of rain water that stood /
near the house
Mrs. Cole was an intelligent wo-
nan, about IS years OF age. She
was born near Gettysburg, Pa, and,
With Mr.. and Mrs. Richards, who
vas also her adopted daughter, NOV
I'd to Louisa something like a year
lgo. They purchased house and
ot on Lock avenue. also the house
md lot formerly owned and occupied
" Billie Wilson, whore they We're
living at the time of the tragedy.
irs. Richards is a young woman,
'eing about 10 or 20 years OF age.
'he is a woman of refined manner,
$ was Mrs. Cole, and the house
vas well furnished.
All sorts of stories were soon
float concerning the tragedy. the
Widest of them being that Mrs.Cole
ias murdered and Richards was her
layer. He had been seen by some,
nd had been heard by others on
he night of the suicide, SO it Is
LEGGED According to one report
he captain of the Edna Riley had
cen hailed three miles below Lou
"a by Richards a few hours after
Irs. Cole killed herself, and that
.ichards had got aboard and gone
, Catlettsburg, all Of which did not
ccur. The talk about murder grew
, strong that County Judge Boggs
rdered an inquest, which was held
the Cole residence shortly before
Don Wednesday. The case was
lily inquired into and verdict of .
iicide was rendered.
Richards is not here now. and has
OF been in Louisa for two or three
onths, and his whereabouts are
ot known to the public. 4