The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1913-08-05
lEAPED
TO Death
Maria Farmer Ends Life At
County Infifmary
BY Jumping From Third
Story Window
III-Health Was The Cause OF
The Suicide
Z Woman Had Been Suffering
From Cancer
Death Came Instantly Result
Of Broken Back

A leap of over thirty five feet from
third story window to the ground be.
low ended the life of Maria Farmer,
an inmate of the Knox county infirm-
ary, Friday night. Dependency over
iIl-heaIth is believed to have been the
motive for the suicide. Mrs. Farmer
was 7s years of age and has suffered
with a cancer for the past several
years. She had been an inmate Of
the infirmary for period OF about
three years.
an open window on the north side of
the west wing of the building. That
it was case of suicide and not an
accident Is practically proven by the
fact that Mrs. Farmers body, when
found, was lying about ten feet from
the base Of the building wall and
must have been propelled by burst
OF energy surprisingly strong for
woman of Mrs. Farmers advanced
age. She was dead when found by
Mrs. McManis, wife Of Infirmary Sup
erintendent Curtis McManis.
At about 10 O'Clock Mr.. McManis
made a trip around the entire build
ing for the source of smoke which
he detected. A small heap of burning
debris was found where it had been
fired early in the evening. While
making the round of the building the
superintendent passed directly under
Mrs. Farmers window, but her body
was not there then. When she was
found it was 1890 o'clock so the sui
eide must have occurred between 10
and 10:30 o'clock.
The woman was missed from her
room by other inmates of the institu-
ton Because of rather peculiar ac-
tions on Mrs. Farmers part during
the past several weeks they had TAX
en- it upon themselves to watch her
movements closely. One of the wo-
men opened the door and failed to
find the rooms occupant A window
was standing open, and knowing that
it has been closed and fastened ear
lier in the night, she rightly guessed
that Mrs. Farmer had jumped to the
ground below. She shouted to other
persons downstairs and told them of
her discovery. It was then that the
search of the grounds was made and
resulted in the finding of the dead
body. Every indication pointed to the
fact that death resulted almost in
stantly. Coroner v. l.. Fisher was
called from Mt. Vernon and an exam
ination was made. He pronounced it
a case of suicide.
Mrs. Farmers left leg was broken
and her back was very badly injured.
She sustained numerous bad bruises |
about the body but death probably |
was caused by internal injuries.
A few days ago Superintendent Nc
danis and a number of infirmary in
mates were startled to see Mrs. Farm |
er standing upon the edge of an iron |
fire escape at one Of the third story |
windows on the north side of the |
building. She ignored them when |
they asked her to go back into her
room and close the window. Her ac-
tions at that time were SO queer that |
Mr.. McManis quietly went upstairs |
and led her from the fire escape back
into the room He then locked the |
window. The woman said nothing |
at that time that gave any reason to
believe that she was contemplating |
self destruction. It is thought now,
however, that she was intending at
that time to make the leap to the
ground below with purpose of end
ing her life.
She was received at the infirmary
nearly three years ago and was at
that time suffering with a cancer. Her
health grew worse and she was in
a very bad condition when she end
ed her life. She was a widow and had
no children. She is survived by a
Few relatives in Knox county. The
remains will be taken to Bethany