Ray, Lydia Hangs Herself 1894

RAY

Posted By: Ernie Braida
Date: 8/16/2011 at 21:27:19

Mrs. Lydia Ray, of this city, committed suicide by hanging last Sunday morning at an early hour. Mrs. Ray had been staying with her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Jesse Hallowell, who reside near Tracy, just across the Mahaska County line. The sudden death of her son, Jesse Ray, last spring, is supposed to have affected her mind - in fact for several days previous to her suicide it is said the family hardly considered her accountable for her actions. On Saturday night she retired as usual, sleeping with her mother. Sometime after midnight Mrs. Hallowell missed her and aroused the family. Search was at once made, and her body was found, about 3 a. m., suspended by a rope from the corner of the hen house. She was promptly cut down but life was extinct.

The funeral was held at Tracy Sunday. Mrs. Ray was an intelligent and educated woman. She wasabout45years old, and was the wife of Hiram Ray, who, with a daughter just entering womanhood, is left to mourn her loss.

Marion County Newspapers 1894