Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1913-10-27
WORRIED over
ILLNESS WOMAN
TAKES OWN LIFE
Mrs. Julia obermeire Drinks
Chloroform in Her Apart
ments Sunday Morning.
ADDICTED TO MORPHINE
Physician Leaves Small Vial Of Fluid
on Stand and Woman Consumes
Two DRAINS of 1t.

Dependency over i'll health due
largely to the excessive use OF NOR
phine, caused Mrs. Julia Obermeire,
aged 81 years, 10 commit suicide in
her apartments in the rear Of the
home of Matthias Simmons, 242O1a
Third avenue Sunday morning. She
drank two drains OF chloroform about
O'Clock and died two hours later.
Previous to having taken the fluid
she had been administered a small
amount by DR.. Alfred Stocker, who
was called to attend her earlier in the
morning. He procured an ounce bot
tie OF chloroform and gave her but
very little as an anaesthetic. She
told him that she was relieved of the
pain and about $50 o'clock he left.
USED MORPHINE
For the past six years she had been
using morphine, becoming addicted
10 the habit as a result OF having
been given hypodermic to ease pain
suffered as a result Of gall stones. She
had attempted several cures but none
helped her 20 break the drugs hold
upon her.
Saturday morning she procured a
four ounce bottle of chloroform and
presumably used two ounces of il, for
when her mother, Mrs. Sylvester
0bermeire. 1891 Third avenue, Wis
tied her Saturday night she took bo.-
tie half full away from her daughter.
Edward Simmons, a brother of
Matthias Simmons. was called from his
brothers apartments Saturday night
by the woman. lie attended her wants
until about II o'clock, having known
her for long time. She was rest
less and apparently i'll. About G
o'clock Sunday morning he again
was called by her and this time she APP
peared in grea- distress. She com
planned of a pain between her shoul.
ders and asked him to send for her
mother and a doctor Mr.. Simmons
called Dr. Stocker and the latter ar
rived shortly before o'clock. He
asked her about the location of the
pain and what he could do to re
Iieve her He advised a hypodermic
but she told him that she had useC
30 many that It woulC do no good
She asked for chloroform and il wa.
procured.
lie administered a small amount oi
chloroform and then left. About
1890 o'clock Ed Simmons returned
to the womans rooms and found hel
lying on the bed breathing. but
death ike expression on her face. Hel
eyes we're set and her lips were
blue. lie notified her mother and she
wen, to her daughter DR.. Stockel
WAS called but when he arrived sh,
vas dead
HUSBAND DESERTED HER.
II was due to the use Of the drug
that her husband deserted her ant
about four years ago she received 1
divorce from him at Davenport
She used about 20 grains OF tn,
morphine during the day. accord
ing TO Ed Simmons. Physicians sa!
that a quarter grain is a large dose 70
the average person.
In an effort to cure her OF tn,
habit she was taken TO Canada b.
relatives Of her husband several year
ago but when she returned she wa
unable TO get along without the drug
She was also a patient a. the St AL
thongs hospital recently and afte
about one month at the institution sh
left. For four OF five days she 60
along without the morphine but sh
returned to its use again and sine
that time but few attempts were mao
by her TO stop the habit
ATTEMPTED SUICIDE BEFORE.
While in Canada she attempted su
eide by shooting herself with a 3.