The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1921-11-16
Wichita Woman Walks From
Newman to Topeka, Suicide.
Removes False Teeth and Petit.
coat, Steps Into Water.
BODY FOUND BY A TRAMP
He Was Boiling Pot of Coffee
Near Scene Today.
Mrs. Ida johnson Was Wife OF
Methodist Minister.

After leaping from the window of a
moving Union Pacific passenger train
near Newman late Tuesday afternoon.
Mrs. Ida Johnson, 40 years old. Wich-
ita, walked twelve miles to a point on
Soldier creek known as the Three
Bridges. where she committed suicide
by drowning. The body was found at
o'clock this morning by Frank
Green. Danville, ILL.,, a confessed
"floater."
Mrs. johnson was the wife of the
Rev. Frecland johnson, Wichita. su-
perintendent of Sunday schools of the
Methodist church for a four state
area. She is survived by her husband
and by one daughter. Ruth, s years
old. The body was removed to PEN
wells undertaking parlors.
At the time she leaped from the
Union Pacific train Tuesday after
noon, Mrs. johnson was being taken
to a private sanitarium at Bonner
Springs, where she was to undergo
, treatment for an extreme nervous
/ breakdown Together with the Rev.
Mr. johnson she was in Topeka for
about two hours Tuesday afternoon.
/ during which time she was the guest
of Mr.. and Mrs. W. A. Biby.
Threatened to End Her Life.
During a ride in the Biby's auto
q
, herself rather dead than confined
to a sanitar.um.' 1t is also known
that she has been despondent for sew
| eral months and has threatened to
end her own life several times.
After leaving Topeka at 4:4O o'clock
! Tuesday afternoon Mrs. johnson
stayed quietly in her seat until Grant
vile was passed. Shortly afterwards
| she went to the toilet, and when she
failed to return to her seat in a rea-
/ soma BILE time the Rev. Mr.. Freeman
instituted an investigation with the
result that it was found she had left
/ the train thru the window of the fol-
| let. Apparently the leap from the
moving train was made without IN
/ jury as no scratches or other marks
/ were found on the body.
! The Rev. Mr.. johnson left the train
at Perry and Immediately started a
/ search. Posses secured the roads in
all directions from Newman all night
without result. The demented wo-
man eluded all the searchers.
/ without any supporting facts on
which TO base the conclusion it would
+ seem that she hiked back towards To-
peka, following the Union Pacific
tracks to the three bridges. Here she
apparently followed a path leading
down under the Union Pacific bridge
I to the creek bank
| From this point on marks on the
j ground are conclusive proof of he1.
actions. She removed her pettfcoat
and set of false teeth, laying them
! on the ground. Then she walked into
/ the creek. The prints of her high
heels were distinct in the mud at the
F.. edge of the water and could be seen
going out from shore for distance OF
a step or two. The water was about
) four feet deep at the point where she
apparently leaned forward and sub
merged her face.
I Body Discovered by Tramp
slight wind this morning and an
equally slight current I'm the water
failed to move the body from the
point OF drowning, as the right foot
. was sunk into the mud in the bottom
/ OF the creek and the hands dragged
} on the bottom. The body was fac.
I downward in the water when II was
/ discovered by Frank Green, who ad-
mltted himself to be "on the road"
Green says that he had cooked a pot
or coffee down the creek a short dis
tance from the bridge and had carried
the beverage up under the Union
/ Pacific bridge to drink it. He noticed
the black silk petticoat lying on the
ground near the water and went to
see what it was. Then he noticed the
floating clothing in the water and as
he approached closer saw the trailing
reddish hair and exposed limbs Of the
dead woman.
Farmer Was Notified
He notified a nearby farmer named
Samuels Of the finding Of the body.
and the two of them went to q phone
and notified the sherfff's office.
Sheriff Robert Miller and a deputy re-
Isponded to the call. and were waiting
beside the body when Coroner II. l..
Clark arrived with Mr.. and Mrs. Biby.
The Bibys identified the body and
notified the husband and other rela-
tives
When the body was dragged from
the water the hand Of the woman
still cIutched a handkerchief
Mrs Johnson was a sister Of Mrs
Dan Maloney. Denver. whose husband
Is widely known in Topeka.
II. ". Memorial for Panama Canal.