The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1917-09-20
SHORT NOTE TELLS STORY
Fear of Loss of Mind from Mental Strain
and Brooding Over Fathers Death
Causes Deed as Explained in Note
Found in Possessions Left on Shore.

F1oatlng In the waters OF Lake
Michigan at the extreme north end of
Jacobs Island, the body of Miss Mary
M. Buffham, of Racine, was found
early Sunday morning by a passer-by,
who Immediately reported his diseov-.
cry to the police. Near by were found
her hat, coat, shoes and other posses
sions, which with a note proved I'M
mistakably that she had drowned her
self because she feared the complete
loss of her mental powers. The body,
badly bruised by the night s buffeting
from the waves, was taken to the
morgue and relatives of the deceased
informed of the discovery. A brother,
Robert Buffham, came to Kenosha i'm
mediately and took charge of the
body, which was taken to Racine
in the afternoon to the family home
at 734 Lake avenue.
Note Tells Story.
Among the personal effects which
were found on the shore was black
silk sewing bag, in which was found
brief note, hastily scrubbed on the
back of bill, which told the cause
of her act in two short sentences:
"Can't keep my mind. No one to
blame" The writing was unsteady
and irregular indicating that she had
written it under great excitement and
probably just before she leaped into
the lake to her death Tt is believed
that the drowning must have happened
about six o'clock Saturday evening
and the shallowness of the water ac-
counts for the fact that the body was
found so soon after the deed.
Missing Saturday Afternoon.
The police had been searching for
Miss Buffham since five o CLOCK Satur-
day afternoon She had been visiting
Mrs. w. J. Mainland, of Park avenue,
since Friday, and was accompanied to
the car which would take her to the
north side station in time to catch the
3:40 car for Racine. When she failed
to arrive at Racine, relatives telephon
ed and the police started a search which
was Intellectual. She must have left
the car at the station and walked to
the north end Of Jacob IS Island where
she had planned to- commit suicide.
Mrs. Mainland, who was her most con-
fdential friend, says that Miss Buff
was contemplating, although she ex-
planned that she was under great men
tai strain as the executrix of her
fathers large estate and the manager
of the business of the Buffham Paint
Company. When preparing to leave
she talked at length about the cloth
ing which she would wear, which
however, did not appear strange un
til after the word of her death
had been received.
Brooded Over Fathers Death.
Miss Buffham was the close confident
of her father, who died last January.
Since that time she had brooded oevr
her fathers death to such an extent
that her former cheerful disposition
had become passive and morose. This
coupled with extreme business cares is
believed to have unbalanced her mind
temporarily. The brother Robert Buff
ham, explained that there was no finan-
cial trouble of any kind and that
imagined troubles could be the only
explanation Of the suicide. His story
also told that she had come to Keno
sha for a short rest from the cares of
business, and, while no fears were held
for her sanity, her family was consid-
erably worried when she failed to ar
rive at the time which she had prom
ised. Friends and relatives alike de-
clare that no act of hers in the past
could have been so construed as to
warn them of her plan to end her life
and therefore the suddenness of the
tragedy has increased the sorrow.
Knitting Stopped by Death
That the act of suicide had not long
been planned was shown by one dis
covery in the possession of the drowned
woman. In the black silk sewing bag,
which she left upon the shore, there
was a half completed sweater, which
she was knitting for some soldier in
France. While in Kenosha she had
shown great interest in this work as
she talked enthusiastically of its com
pletion. Examination of the garment
showed that she had added to the
work after leaving the Mainland home
but it had all been carefully and neatly
placed back in the sewing bag, with
the note of explanation, to await the
discoverer of the body.
Miss Mary M. Bufham was ffty-one
years old and for several years had