Williams, Mrs. Cora (circa 1883 -1917)

WILLIAMS, TODD, HENRY

Posted By: Linda Ziemann, volunteer (email)
Date: 6/16/2025 at 14:52:45

LeMars Semi-Weekly Sentinel,
June 15, 1917 —Page One.

LeMars Sentinel: — Apparently as the result of a suicide pact, Miss Amy Judd, of Apple River, Ill., aged 44 and her sister, Mrs. Cora Williams, Swea City, aged 34, ended their lives by taking poison yesterday morning. The tragedy took place at the home of G. W. Henry, residing north of town (ie: north of LeMars.)

The two women were sisters of Mrs. Henry, and had been visiting there for some time. Miss Judd swallowed bichloride of mercury and Mrs. Williams took a dose of formaldehyde.

From accounts the women assisted their sister, Mrs. Henry, at her household tasks in the morning. Mrs. Henry later went to the basement to do some churning, and the first intimation she had that anything was wrong, was when she heard a commotion in the living room and Miss Judd told her they had taken poison.

Dr. J. L. Reeves was summoned to the place. When he arrived there, Mrs. Williams was lying dead on a lounge. Miss Judd gasped a few incoherent words. The doctor applied restoratives and emetics but it was too late, and in a few minutes she also expired.

Mrs. Henry was prostrated at the tragedy and required the services of a physician.

Mrs. Cora Williams had been staying for some time with her sister, Mrs. Henry. She had been in a despondent frame of mind for some time and recently her sister, Miss Judd, came from Illinois to help take care of her.

Mr. Williams, who was in business in Swea City, recently went to Colorado with the intention of finding a location where the change of climate might prove beneficial to his wife and himself, as he was suffering from lung trouble.

Miss Judd was in town the day before the tragedy and consulted with a physician in regard to Mrs. Williams’ condition and the physician recommended that Mrs. Williams be taken to a sanitarium, as she was suffering from melancholia.

Miss Judd was a fine healthy looking woman, possessed of means, and her relatives are at a loss to account for her act.

Coroner A. B. Barnett was called from his home at Merrill to conduct an inquest. After investigating the affair he decided that no inquest was necessary as it was evident in his opinion that the two women had committed suicide by swallowing poison.

The bodies of the women were brought to the Engelken undertaking parlors, awaiting disposition of the remains. Funeral arrangements had not been completed last evening.
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LeMars Semi-Weekly Sentinel, Page One

TAKEN HOME FOR BURIAL.
Bodies of Sisters Who Committed Suicide Shipped to Illinois.

The bodies of Miss Amy Judd and Mrs. Cora Williams, who committed suicide last Thursday at the home of G. W. Henry, three miles north of town, were taken back to their home at Apple River, Illinois, on Friday evening for interment. Their two brothers, James Judd and William Judd, arrived in LeMars on Friday morning to take charge of the remains and make funeral arrangements, the bodies having remained at Engelken undertaking parlors for a couple of days.

From statements made by the brothers, it seems that Mrs. Cora Williams had been affected with melancholia for some time and needed constant care and attention. They were stumped to understand why their other sister, Miss Judd, was influenced to be a part of this tragedy.
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