SUICIDES BY DRINKING ACID

Mrs. Howard Betten [sic] Ends Her Life By Taking Carbolic Acid Despondently

Mrs. Howard Betten [sic] committed suicide early Monday morning by drinking carbolic acid at the home of her brother Ola George who resides a mile south of Tampico. She drank the poisonous, fiery liquid about 3:30 Monday morning and died at 5:15 in spite of anything that could be done by a physician who had been summoned hastily. A fit of deep melancholia induced by worry over sick children and a hallucination that they were about to die was the cause of the woman taking her life.

Mr. and Mrs. Betten [sic] and Mr. and Mrs. George had been taking turns sitting up with the sick children and on Sunday evening they had induced Mrs. Betten [sic] to go and lie down with Mrs. George. She went into the bed room and instead of laying down she sat on the edge of the bed. Mrs. George was dozing off but remembers that Mrs. Betten [sic] got up, when the dresser and took an ounce bottle of carbolic acid which had been there and drank it, remarking s she did "Good-By." [sic] Mrs. George sprang out of bed and gave the alarm. Neighbors were called and Dr. Terry was summoned from town. Nothing could be done and she died at 515. Mr. and Mrs. Betten [sic] had been living in Ab Forward's house south of town but she did not like the place for some reason and they had been staying with her brother at his place. It is thought that her mind was affected by her worry of a naturally happy disposition and was cheerful until Sunday evening, preceding her death when she gave way to spells of crying and thought that her children were going to die.

Coroner J. G. Limerick of Rock Falls came here Monday morning and an inquest was held at the residence south of town. The following comprised the jury: Wayne Aldrich fore- ****************************************** (missing rest of article)