Morgan County Democrat. (McConnelsville, Ohio) 1886-1943, 1930-12-04
DEATH OF FORMER MALTA
GIRL OCCURS IN PANAMA

ing the death of his sister Mrs. Hell
en- Whitten which occurred that day
at Balboa Heights, Panama Canal
Zone The message came as a great
shock, as Mrs. Whitten and her hus
band had spent week or ten days
here only about month ago, visit
ing among relatives and friends, and
had sailed few days afterward.
Oct %, from New York, on their
return trip to Panama They were
to arrive home Nov S. They had
left their home in that place in Sep
tember, and after landing had spent
a week sight seeing, and had visited
in Chicago and Indianapolis with
relatives, before coming here. When
the message came announcing the
death, no information was given as
to the cause Of it. Mrs. Whitten
had apparently been in the best OF
health at the time of her visit here
At the time her death occurred, her
sister Mrs. Grace Dye of McCon-
nelsville was at Redwood Falls,
Minn.. as were the other sisters, at
tending the funeral of their broth
er.in-law Harry Ward whose death
was noted in this paper last week
Mr.. Willard Huntington conveyed
the sad news of the message he had
received, on to them at that place.
Mrs. Whitten was.a daughter Of
the late T. E. and Louise Ford Dun
nington of Malta, being their young
est child. She graduated from the
Malta high school in the year 1907,
and later was an assistant in the
Malta postoffice when her father
held the office of postmaster She
had wide circle of friends and ac-
quaintances who are deeply grieved
upon learning of her death. Her.
first husband, Frank Walker, lost
his life, it will be recalled, in the
explosion here in the Walker garage
sixteen years ago. She is surviv-
ed by the brother mentioned-Wil
lard Huntington of McConnelsville,
and four sisters, Mrs. Mary Ward OF
Taylor of Indianapolis, Ind: Mrs.
Florence Clark of Chicago, and Mrs
Grace Dye of McConnelsville. Her
husband b. II. Whitten who sur
wives her, is in the government en-
ploy in Panama, and was formerly
located in California where they be-
came acquainted
A clipping from paper received
here Wednesday. from Panama,
stated in substance that Mrs. Whit
ten died from sodium of cyanide poi
soning, and that she took her own
life The clipping stated that a
quart bottle containing enough poi.
son to kill every resident on the
Canal Zone was found in her room,
and she herself had taken enough
to kill a score of persons. Marital
strife was given as the motive. The
body was found by the custodian Of
the administration building, and his
daughter, who went to Mrs Whit
tens apartment about IL a. M, on
Thursday to take her TO their home
for Thanksgiying dinner. The
doors OF the apartment were open
On the living room table was an
open Bible and small religious
pamphlet on Life and Death" The
dead woman was lying on the bed
fully dressed. wearing her shoes
and all her jewelry including a wrist
watch. When found she had been
dead eight or nine hours Beside
the body was letter in an en-.
l..
Hearne. custodians of the building.
The letter had to do with the dis
posal of her money and valuables,
and asked that her clothing be sent
to her sister, Mrs. Grace Dye of Nc
Connelsviile. An open sheet ad
dressed to her husband read, "Ben
dear: Please forgive me- 1t was
all my fault Please don't send me
home. ] don't want them to know
Helen"
In speaking of Mrs. Whitten, Mr..
Hearne referred to her as being a
wonderful girl. and said that he and
his wife loved her as they did their
own daughters: that he believed
she died because she never received
her heritage of love. She was a
lovable, affectionate girl of extremely
high ideals, as modest as a rose. She
came to see me in my office We'd
nesday morning, and told me then
that she thought all was over be-
tween her and Ben, and made her
promise that if break came she
would come to our home for protec.
ton. which Helen promised she
would do. That night I saw Ben
L
case. / talked to him and tried to
persuade him to go back, but he
shook his head and said it was no
use. Mrs. Hearne and l went up to
her apartment and found her almost
convulsed with grief. We staid with
her until midnight and tried to get
her to come home with us, but she
wouldn't The marriage of Mr..
and Mrs. Whitten occurred Oct. 21,
of last year. 1t is stated in the ar
ticle that THE incompatibility Of
the couple was apparent almost
from the beginning-no question of
abuse on the husbands part, but
many little differences of opinion,
and nagging about money, clothes.
and social behavior, that drove them
apart. The fact that she had ex-
ceptionally high ideals about drink
ing and associations probably caused
friction. A tragic elimination to the
match was barely avoided six
months ago when he left home as he
did Wednesday night She wrote
him a farewell note then. it is said,
but was stopped before she had
taken poison, and the trouble was
patched up"
Funeral services for Mrs. Whitten
were held at the Balboa Heights
Baptist church Sunday afternoon,
and in accordance with wishes Of
the deceased, the body was cremat-
ed.
Home From Deer Hunt
Messrs. Leonard Tavenner Of