Ethel J. (Sawyer) Mathison (1891-1910)

SAWYER, MATHISON

Posted By: Dorian Myhre (email)
Date: 6/24/2013 at 19:29:23

From Nevada Evening Journal December 2, 1910

BROODED OVER HEALTH OF FATHER

MRS. EMIL* MATHISON SHOOTS HERSELF AND DIES FROM THE WOUND

Special to the Journal.
Story City, Dec. 2.--Despondent over the continued ill health of her father, Mrs. Emil* Mathison, bride of less than a year and the mother of a young babe*, left the child in the arms of her husband about eight o'clock this morning and stepping out of the door of the home, picked up a loaded rifle and placing the end of the barrel to her right temple and pulling the trigger, drove a bullet through her own brain and died within a very few moments. The husband and babe were in the house alone he rushed to the Springman home nearby for assistance and a doctor was summoned from Story City, but before help arrived the woman had breathed her last.

The story of the suicide of Mrs. Mathison was secured over the telephone by the Evening Journal this forenoon. The husband has many relatives in and about Nevada and both he and his wife are well and favorably known here. The couple were married last New Years and their brief married life had been an apparently happy one until the past few days when the wife became despondent over the continued illness of her father, Frank Sawyer, of near Gilbert.

Was Gilbert Girl.
The woman who thus met such a violent death, was Miss Ethel Sawyer, on e of the best known and popular young ladies of that neighborhood and was one of a large family of children. Immediately after their marriage they took up residence on a farm five miles west of Story City. About five weeks ago a baby girl came to brighten their home. The mother had regained her usual health following the birth of the child, but of lat had brooded continually over the condition of her father.

Handed Child to Husband.
Ths morning after the breakfast hour, the wife handed the little one to the husband and without speaking a word as to her intentions, stepped out of the door and when the husband heard the rifle shot and the scream which followed and rushed out, he saw his wife lying upon the floor of the porch adn a small stream of blood flowing from a wound in her right temple.

Rushed for Aid.
Frantic with grief, the dazed man, leaving his babe alone in the house and his dying wife where she had fallen, rushed for aid and then returning, assisted the neighbors in an effort to keep her pulse beating until the physician, Dr. Linden, would arrive from Story City. There was but a few heartbeats, however, after he arrived.

Coroner Moorfoot was called up this morning by the Story City undertaker and the suicide reported to him. He did not consider it necessary, however, that an inquest be held.

No Funeral Arrangements.
No funeral arrangements have been made. It is probable that interment will be at the Gilbert cemetery.

*SUBMITTER'S NOTE: Ethel J. Sawyer married Amiel Mathison on 31 December 1909 in Gilbert, Story County, Iowa. The "young babe" was Awanda Lucille Mathison who was born November 16, 1910. This submitter believes, with modern prospective, that most probably postpartum depression played a role in the sad incident.