Eva Barth

BARTH

Posted By: Sharon Elijah (email)
Date: 5/23/2021 at 17:43:29

9 December 1916 - The Clinton Advertiser
page 1

MRS. EVA BARTH FACTORY WOMAN TAKES OWN LIFE
FOREWOMAN AT EDWARDS PLANT COMMITS SUICIDE
SWALLOWED CHLOROFORM
Deceased was 29 Years of Age and is Survived by Two Young Children
Mrs. Eva M. Barth, fore-woman at the Edwards Manufacturing company, committed suicide Friday afternoon in her flat over the North Second street factory, by swallowing a portion of the contents of a bottle of chloroform. Mrs. Barth left a letter, which was found in the room near her stating she was "tired of it all" and asking the forgiveness of her relatives and friends.

The body was found shortly after 5 o'clock Friday evening and Dr. Kellogg, the coroner, was summoned, who immediately telephoned for Dr. Sugg and the lung motor. The appliance was used, but the woman had been dead for some time before she was found.

Her parents and other relatives arrived from Savannah this morning to take charge of the funeral arrangements.

Coroner Kellogg decided last night that it will not be necessary to hold an inquest, as the woman's death plainly was due to her own act.

Mrs. Barth, it is said, had been subject to spells of melancholy and probably her mind was unbalanced when she carried out her tragic purpose Friday.

She was about 29 years of age, and lived with her two children, a boy and girl aged 8 and 10 years, in the flats above the Second street factory, having also maintained rooms for several of the girl employes of the factory who boarded with her there.

Speaking of the sad affair today, Fred Rixon, head of the manufacturing company, said Mrs. Barth had been employed there for five years and was a splendid operator. She was gradually advanced until she was given the position of forewoman. having charge of all the operators in the plant.

On a number of occasions, he said, complaints against Mrs. Barth had been made by the girls but these had been smoothed over. The girls complained of not receiving proper treatment on several occasions, and these complaints became so numerous that it was decided something should be done. Accordingly, Fred Rixon, Jr. in charge of that department, had an interview with Mrs. Barth shortly after 2 o'clock Friday afternoon, telling her that in the interest of harmony she had better go back on a machine for a time, he promising to pay her the same wages in that work as she had received as forewoman. He advised her to go to her room and think the matter over. Mrs. Barth promised to do this, and departed into her room.

A little later Mr. Rixon advised Miss Rievers, the stenographer, to go to Mrs. Barth's room and talk to her. Miss Rievers complied, and had a short visit with Mrs. Barth who told her she had not decided as yet whether to take Mr. Rixon's offer or not. This was the last time Mrs. Barth was seen alive.

At 5:30 o'clock work for the day was suspended, and four or five of the girls went up their rooms. They found Mrs. Barth's little girl playing the piano, and asked her where her mother was. The child said she had not seen her, and thought she was in the factory.

A search of the rooms was made, and in one apartment the lifeless body was found. Mrs. Barth had lain down on the bed, swallowed part of the chloroform, and held the bottle containing the remainder to her nose after pulling a couple of pillows over her head. Later the note was found in the apartment.

It is said that Mrs. Barth attempted to take her own life on one or two occasions in the past, during periods of melancholy and depression. She and her husband separated a few years ago and since then she has been working for her own living, and the maintenance of her two children.

The letter written by Mrs. Barth before she took her own life Friday is in possession of Dr. Kellogg, the county coroner. It was addressed to Fred Rixon, Jr. and was a short well-written epistle.

In the note Mrs. Barth declared that she was not to blame for the trouble, and intimated that some of the girls "had it in for her". She declared she had stood it as long as she could. Northing was said in the letter about the woman's children. She asked Mr. Rixon to notify her relatives at Savanna.

Charles Barth of Savanna, Ill., father of the deceased, arrived in Clinton this morning, and departed at 1:30 o'clock this afternoon for home, taking the body of his daughter with him. The funeral will be held Sunday.

George Krejci of Savanna is the former husband of the deceased. Besides her father and mother she is survived by two brothers, both of Savanna.