ADAIR, Jennie H.

BROOKS, DELONG, ADAIR, BIGLEY, ZIMMERMAN, SHANE

Posted By: Sharon R Becker (email)
Date: 10/27/2014 at 03:42:01

Obituary ~ Jennie H. (Brooks) DeLong Adair
1881 ~ 1906

Decatur County Journal
Leon, Decatur County, Iowa
November, 1906

Mrs. Jennie Adair, who was born in Leon about twenty-five years ago, committed suicide at her home in south Leon, last Sunday evening, by drinking carbolic acid. She died in about ten minutes after taking the fatal dose. She was the daughter of McDonald Brooks and wife of this city. Coroner Bowman decided that under the circumstances an inquest was not necessary.

Jennie Brooks was married to Chas. Delong, of Van Wert, when about 17 years of age. They soon separated and three years later, she procured a divorce. In 1901 she married William Adair of Leon, but they separated after a short marriage experience and Mrs. Adair went to Omaha and took up her residence with her sister, Mrs. Charles Bigley. In the meantime she had been granted a divorce but the decree was not entered of record because the costs were unpaid. About eight weeks ago, Jennie returned from Omaha and a reconcilliation with her husband followed. They commenced housekeeping and seemed to get along very well together.

Last Sunday Mr. and Mrs. Adair invited Mr. and Mrs. Charles Brooks and several others to take supper with them and all responded. Just after supper between 6 and 7 o'clock the company were engaged in conversation, laughing and talking, when Adair remarked that he must go up town and get some tobacco. This seemed to anger Mrs. Adair and she said she would go along. Adair replied that he would be gone only a minute which seemed to placate his wife. After he had gone, Jennie commenced to wash the dishes and then went into the pantry, took down a bottle of carbolic acid and drank a portion of its contents. She called out "I have done it." Her brother Charles snatched the bottle which fell to the floor. She put her arms around her brother's neck and said: "Forgive me, Charley, for what I have done. I love you." She was asked what motive prompted her to commit the act but her condition was such that she was unable to answer. Her lips and cheek were burned by the acid, Jesse Adair summoned a doctor and the husband but when they arrived, she was dead. Those present when the deed was committed were: Mr. and Mrs. Charles Brooks, Len Zimmerman and Jesse Adair. Mrs. Charles Bigley says that her sister told her before she left Omaha that she might commit suicide.

Funeral exercises were conducted at the residence Tuesday afternoon at 2:30 o'clock by Reverend A.M. Pilcher, after which interment was made in Leon Cemetery. The relatives present at the funeral included two sisters of the deceased, Mrs. A.W. Shane, of Kansas City, and Mrs. Charles Bigley, of Omaha.

Transcription by Sharon R. Becker, October of 2014

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The Lamoni Chronicle
Lamoni, Decatur County, Iowa
November 16, 1906

TOOK CARBOLIC ACID

Mrs. William ADAIR committed suicide by taking carbolic acid at her home on South Main street Sunday evening about 7 o'clock, dying within ten minutes after she took the poison. There were several persons present at the time, her brother, Charles BROOKS and wife, Len ZIMMERMAN and Jess ADAIR, who had all been at the house for supper. Her husband had just started up town after some tobacco and was only a few blocks away from the house. The parties at supper had been laughing and joking and Mrs. ADAIR appeared to be in good spirits, but during the evening had remarked that she had something in the house which she was going to use before tom-morrow night, but no attention was paid to the remark. After supper Mrs. ADAIR washed the dishes and was putting them away in the cupboard when she suddenly took a bottle of carbolic acid from a shelf and swallowed about an ounce. She threw the bottle on the floor with the remark, "There it is." Dr. BOWMAN was sent for at once but she was dead before he reached the house. He viewed the body as coroner and talked with the witnesses after which he decided that an inquest was not necessary.

The deceased was a daughter of McDonald BROOKS of this city, was 25 years old and had been married twice. Her first husband was Charles DELONG, but they separated in a short time after being married. Four years ago she was married to Wm. ADAIR, but they lived together only a few weeks, and for several years she had lived in Omaha. She returned to Leon about six weeks ago and a reconciliation was effected with her husband and they went to housekeeping. The husband said they had had no trouble and the only reason for the rash act was that she was despondent over her health.

The funeral was held from the home Tuesday afternoon, conducted by Dr. Am. M. PILCHER, interment in the Leon cemetery. - Leon Reporter

Copied by Stacey McDowell Dietiker
May 9, 2003