The Journal Leon, Iowa December 20, 1883 The office of Coroner of Decatur County was made vacant some months ago by the death of C.G. Gillham, Dr. H.C. Van Werden, the Coroner elect, not having yet qualified, received a telegram from S.T. Rogers of Hamilton Township, last Thursday, that the wife of G.W. ROBERTS, of that township, had committed suicide, which the Doctor handed to A. Hasket, Esq., who summoned a jury and started down about half past 6 o'clock, to hold an inquest, arriving at the place of the deceased about 10 o'clock, it being 12 miles from Leon. The verdict of the Coroner's Jury will explain the means the deceased used to put an end to her life. It seems that her father is a substantial farmer and stock man, living in Mercer County, Mo.; that she was living in a cabin and seemed to be living in circumstances that she disliked. The evidence indicated that she was an intelligent woman, a member of the Christian Church, and that she had a great desire to live among her people. She was beset with despondency, bordering on hysteria, and the neighborhood gossip had become a great affliction to her. She decided that life was a blank to her and that she would put an end to it. She left a writing on the open Bible upon the table in which she blamed some persons for their conduct towards her. She gave good advice to her husband and to Little OLA, her 12 year old daughter, her only child. To be continued . . . The Testimony. ---------------------------------------------------------- Copied by Nancee(McMurtrey)Seifert January 9, 2010 [email protected]