Clinton Register
DeWitt County, Illinois
Friday, July 11, 1913
FIFTH SUICIDE IN TWO MONTHS.
MRS. WHERRY [aka BETHEL] DROWNS HERSELF.
Loneliness and Despondency Said to Have Been Cause of the Deed.
The fifth suicide in DeWitt county within a space of two months occurred on Thursday of last week when Mrs. Julia WHERRY [BETHEL] ended her life by throwing herself into a cistern at the home of her son, Wm. E. BETHEL, about three miles north of Wapella. All of the family were absent at the time and the body was not discovered until nearly 6 o'clock in the evening. She had gone to the home of her daughter, Mrs. Minnie BISHOP, to remain over Sunday, but on Thursday morning decided she would attend to some business matters in Bloomington, and was taken to the station at Bucks. Being busy with farm work, the men did not wait for her to board the car, but returned to their duties. While waiting at the station, she changed her mind, and instead of going to the city, went to the home of her son. After dinner, Mrs. Bethel and a relative, Mrs. C. E. Swearingen, went away for the afternoon, leaving Mrs. Wherry alone. Returning about 5:30, they noticed the cistern cover off, but supposed the aged lady had been drawing water and forgotten the cover, when they observed her slippers lying beside the opening. They became alarmed and, going into the house, found the following note, which explained all:
"My dear boy: I am going to leave you, for my troubles are too much to stand. You go to the bank and get that hundred dollars and collect them two notes when it comes time. My insurance papers are in my grip all tied up together. You will find me in the cistern. God be with you till we meet again.
"Your Mother, Julia Bethel."
B. E. Herrington was at once called by telephone, and he with Robert Summers and Fred Slayback drew the body from the water. There was about six feet of water in the cistern but the body was floating near the surface. There were no marks with the exception of a few drops of blood which probably came from a slight wound caused by striking her head against the cistern wall. Coroner Moore went to the home on the 6:32 car and held an inquest, the jury returning a verdict of suicide in accordance with the above sworn facts.
Mrs. Wherry broke up housekeeping at Heyworth early in June, sold most of her belongings and went to the home of her son, Wm. BETHEL, to spend the remainder of her days, as she was growing old and feeble and her children did not think it best for her to live alone. For some time previous, her little grandson, Lloyd GARA, had lived with her, but a few days before she broke up housekeeping the boy went to live with his mother, Mrs. Maude PISER, at Juneau, Alaska. This had a tendency to make her despondent, and she also said she would be a burden to her children.
Julia SWEARINGEN was born one and one-half miles east of Heyworth, July 11th, 1848. While a young woman she was married to Andrew BETHEL, and to this union eight children were born, four of whom survive, as follows: Wm. Bethel, the son at whose home the tragedy occurred; Mrs. Maude Piser and Mrs. Biedleman, of Juneau, Alaska; and Mrs. Minnie Bishop, of near Heyworth. Four children are dead, Charles, Bert, Reuben and Tony.
Some time after the death of her husband she was married to Thomas WHERRY, of Bloomington, but this union proved an unhappy one and she shortly separated from him and assumed her former name of Bethel, by which she was generally known at the time of her death. Several years ago she united with the Long Point M. E. church and had lived a faithful Christian life. With the exception of about two years spent at Parksville, Mo., almost her entire life was passed in this county.
Funeral services were held from the home of her son Saturday morning at 10 o'clock, Rev. J. C. Robertson of Heyworth conducting the services. Interment in the Heyworth cemetery.
DeWitt County, Illinois
Friday, July 11, 1913
FIFTH SUICIDE IN TWO MONTHS.
MRS. WHERRY [aka BETHEL] DROWNS HERSELF.
Loneliness and Despondency Said to Have Been Cause of the Deed.
The fifth suicide in DeWitt county within a space of two months occurred on Thursday of last week when Mrs. Julia WHERRY [BETHEL] ended her life by throwing herself into a cistern at the home of her son, Wm. E. BETHEL, about three miles north of Wapella. All of the family were absent at the time and the body was not discovered until nearly 6 o'clock in the evening. She had gone to the home of her daughter, Mrs. Minnie BISHOP, to remain over Sunday, but on Thursday morning decided she would attend to some business matters in Bloomington, and was taken to the station at Bucks. Being busy with farm work, the men did not wait for her to board the car, but returned to their duties. While waiting at the station, she changed her mind, and instead of going to the city, went to the home of her son. After dinner, Mrs. Bethel and a relative, Mrs. C. E. Swearingen, went away for the afternoon, leaving Mrs. Wherry alone. Returning about 5:30, they noticed the cistern cover off, but supposed the aged lady had been drawing water and forgotten the cover, when they observed her slippers lying beside the opening. They became alarmed and, going into the house, found the following note, which explained all:
"My dear boy: I am going to leave you, for my troubles are too much to stand. You go to the bank and get that hundred dollars and collect them two notes when it comes time. My insurance papers are in my grip all tied up together. You will find me in the cistern. God be with you till we meet again.
"Your Mother, Julia Bethel."
B. E. Herrington was at once called by telephone, and he with Robert Summers and Fred Slayback drew the body from the water. There was about six feet of water in the cistern but the body was floating near the surface. There were no marks with the exception of a few drops of blood which probably came from a slight wound caused by striking her head against the cistern wall. Coroner Moore went to the home on the 6:32 car and held an inquest, the jury returning a verdict of suicide in accordance with the above sworn facts.
Mrs. Wherry broke up housekeeping at Heyworth early in June, sold most of her belongings and went to the home of her son, Wm. BETHEL, to spend the remainder of her days, as she was growing old and feeble and her children did not think it best for her to live alone. For some time previous, her little grandson, Lloyd GARA, had lived with her, but a few days before she broke up housekeeping the boy went to live with his mother, Mrs. Maude PISER, at Juneau, Alaska. This had a tendency to make her despondent, and she also said she would be a burden to her children.
Julia SWEARINGEN was born one and one-half miles east of Heyworth, July 11th, 1848. While a young woman she was married to Andrew BETHEL, and to this union eight children were born, four of whom survive, as follows: Wm. Bethel, the son at whose home the tragedy occurred; Mrs. Maude Piser and Mrs. Biedleman, of Juneau, Alaska; and Mrs. Minnie Bishop, of near Heyworth. Four children are dead, Charles, Bert, Reuben and Tony.
Some time after the death of her husband she was married to Thomas WHERRY, of Bloomington, but this union proved an unhappy one and she shortly separated from him and assumed her former name of Bethel, by which she was generally known at the time of her death. Several years ago she united with the Long Point M. E. church and had lived a faithful Christian life. With the exception of about two years spent at Parksville, Mo., almost her entire life was passed in this county.
Funeral services were held from the home of her son Saturday morning at 10 o'clock, Rev. J. C. Robertson of Heyworth conducting the services. Interment in the Heyworth cemetery.
Clinton Register
DeWitt County, Illinois
Friday, July 11, 1913
FIFTH SUICIDE IN TWO MONTHS.
MRS. WHERRY [aka BETHEL] DROWNS HERSELF.
Loneliness and Despondency Said to Have Been Cause of the Deed.
The fifth suicide in DeWitt county within a space of two months occurred on Thursday of last week when Mrs. Julia WHERRY [BETHEL] ended her life by throwing herself into a cistern at the home of her son, Wm. E. BETHEL, about three miles north of Wapella. All of the family were absent at the time and the body was not discovered until nearly 6 o'clock in the evening. She had gone to the home of her daughter, Mrs. Minnie BISHOP, to remain over Sunday, but on Thursday morning decided she would attend to some business matters in Bloomington, and was taken to the station at Bucks. Being busy with farm work, the men did not wait for her to board the car, but returned to their duties. While waiting at the station, she changed her mind, and instead of going to the city, went to the home of her son. After dinner, Mrs. Bethel and a relative, Mrs. C. E. Swearingen, went away for the afternoon, leaving Mrs. Wherry alone. Returning about 5:30, they noticed the cistern cover off, but supposed the aged lady had been drawing water and forgotten the cover, when they observed her slippers lying beside the opening. They became alarmed and, going into the house, found the following note, which explained all:
"My dear boy: I am going to leave you, for my troubles are too much to stand. You go to the bank and get that hundred dollars and collect them two notes when it comes time. My insurance papers are in my grip all tied up together. You will find me in the cistern. God be with you till we meet again.
"Your Mother, Julia Bethel."
B. E. Herrington was at once called by telephone, and he with Robert Summers and Fred Slayback drew the body from the water. There was about six feet of water in the cistern but the body was floating near the surface. There were no marks with the exception of a few drops of blood which probably came from a slight wound caused by striking her head against the cistern wall. Coroner Moore went to the home on the 6:32 car and held an inquest, the jury returning a verdict of suicide in accordance with the above sworn facts.
Mrs. Wherry broke up housekeeping at Heyworth early in June, sold most of her belongings and went to the home of her son, Wm. BETHEL, to spend the remainder of her days, as she was growing old and feeble and her children did not think it best for her to live alone. For some time previous, her little grandson, Lloyd GARA, had lived with her, but a few days before she broke up housekeeping the boy went to live with his mother, Mrs. Maude PISER, at Juneau, Alaska. This had a tendency to make her despondent, and she also said she would be a burden to her children.
Julia SWEARINGEN was born one and one-half miles east of Heyworth, July 11th, 1848. While a young woman she was married to Andrew BETHEL, and to this union eight children were born, four of whom survive, as follows: Wm. Bethel, the son at whose home the tragedy occurred; Mrs. Maude Piser and Mrs. Biedleman, of Juneau, Alaska; and Mrs. Minnie Bishop, of near Heyworth. Four children are dead, Charles, Bert, Reuben and Tony.
Some time after the death of her husband she was married to Thomas WHERRY, of Bloomington, but this union proved an unhappy one and she shortly separated from him and assumed her former name of Bethel, by which she was generally known at the time of her death. Several years ago she united with the Long Point M. E. church and had lived a faithful Christian life. With the exception of about two years spent at Parksville, Mo., almost her entire life was passed in this county.
Funeral services were held from the home of her son Saturday morning at 10 o'clock, Rev. J. C. Robertson of Heyworth conducting the services. Interment in the Heyworth cemetery.
DeWitt County, Illinois
Friday, July 11, 1913
FIFTH SUICIDE IN TWO MONTHS.
MRS. WHERRY [aka BETHEL] DROWNS HERSELF.
Loneliness and Despondency Said to Have Been Cause of the Deed.
The fifth suicide in DeWitt county within a space of two months occurred on Thursday of last week when Mrs. Julia WHERRY [BETHEL] ended her life by throwing herself into a cistern at the home of her son, Wm. E. BETHEL, about three miles north of Wapella. All of the family were absent at the time and the body was not discovered until nearly 6 o'clock in the evening. She had gone to the home of her daughter, Mrs. Minnie BISHOP, to remain over Sunday, but on Thursday morning decided she would attend to some business matters in Bloomington, and was taken to the station at Bucks. Being busy with farm work, the men did not wait for her to board the car, but returned to their duties. While waiting at the station, she changed her mind, and instead of going to the city, went to the home of her son. After dinner, Mrs. Bethel and a relative, Mrs. C. E. Swearingen, went away for the afternoon, leaving Mrs. Wherry alone. Returning about 5:30, they noticed the cistern cover off, but supposed the aged lady had been drawing water and forgotten the cover, when they observed her slippers lying beside the opening. They became alarmed and, going into the house, found the following note, which explained all:
"My dear boy: I am going to leave you, for my troubles are too much to stand. You go to the bank and get that hundred dollars and collect them two notes when it comes time. My insurance papers are in my grip all tied up together. You will find me in the cistern. God be with you till we meet again.
"Your Mother, Julia Bethel."
B. E. Herrington was at once called by telephone, and he with Robert Summers and Fred Slayback drew the body from the water. There was about six feet of water in the cistern but the body was floating near the surface. There were no marks with the exception of a few drops of blood which probably came from a slight wound caused by striking her head against the cistern wall. Coroner Moore went to the home on the 6:32 car and held an inquest, the jury returning a verdict of suicide in accordance with the above sworn facts.
Mrs. Wherry broke up housekeeping at Heyworth early in June, sold most of her belongings and went to the home of her son, Wm. BETHEL, to spend the remainder of her days, as she was growing old and feeble and her children did not think it best for her to live alone. For some time previous, her little grandson, Lloyd GARA, had lived with her, but a few days before she broke up housekeeping the boy went to live with his mother, Mrs. Maude PISER, at Juneau, Alaska. This had a tendency to make her despondent, and she also said she would be a burden to her children.
Julia SWEARINGEN was born one and one-half miles east of Heyworth, July 11th, 1848. While a young woman she was married to Andrew BETHEL, and to this union eight children were born, four of whom survive, as follows: Wm. Bethel, the son at whose home the tragedy occurred; Mrs. Maude Piser and Mrs. Biedleman, of Juneau, Alaska; and Mrs. Minnie Bishop, of near Heyworth. Four children are dead, Charles, Bert, Reuben and Tony.
Some time after the death of her husband she was married to Thomas WHERRY, of Bloomington, but this union proved an unhappy one and she shortly separated from him and assumed her former name of Bethel, by which she was generally known at the time of her death. Several years ago she united with the Long Point M. E. church and had lived a faithful Christian life. With the exception of about two years spent at Parksville, Mo., almost her entire life was passed in this county.
Funeral services were held from the home of her son Saturday morning at 10 o'clock, Rev. J. C. Robertson of Heyworth conducting the services. Interment in the Heyworth cemetery.
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