Lake County IL Archives Obituaries.....Davis, Elizabeth (Hagen) April 5, 1920
************************************************
Copyright.  All rights reserved.
http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm
http://www.usgwarchives.net/il/ilfiles.htm
************************************************

File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Kathy Stinson findingthepast@comcast.net January 6, 2014, 5:14 pm

Libertyville Independent Register - April 8, 1920
CLASPS HUSBAND'S PICTURE, TURNS ON GAS, ENDS HER LIFE

Tragedy Follows Husband's Departure Without Telling His Plans.

Clutching her husband's picture in her hand, and with her 8-year old daughter 
playing about the room adjacent to the bathroom, a North Chicago mother "ended 
it all" Monday afternoon.  She choose death by gas as a means of bringing a 
sudden ending to what appeared to her to be a foreboding future because she 
apparently lost her husband's affections, and because she felt there was 
"another woman" in the case.  It was the most tragic death that has taken place 
in North Chicago in a long time.  

It doesn't require much imagination to picture the woman sitting in the bathroom 
near the gas jet, kissing the photo of her husband and shedding tears on it; 
listening attentively to the laughing child on the other side of the door - and 
then reaching up and turning on the gas jet, all the time kissing the picture 
and gazing at it lovingly as she began that last long sleep.

It doesn't require much imagination to see her sitting alongside the bathtub 
writing the last note to her husband which told of her fear that he didn't love 
her which told of her love for her little children -- for the note she left 
plainly pictures the heart throbs that were hers.

Mrs. John Davis (nee Elizabeth Hagen) 1837 South Park avenue, North Chicago 
committed suicide Tuesday afternoon by turning on a gas jet and sitting under 
the opening of the door she was found lying across.  Found by the bathtub about 
3:15 by her 8-year old daughter, the child thought the woman became suddenly ill 
and went to the home of a neighbor and told her that her mother was ill.  Dr. L. 
B. Jolley was summoned.

Upon the arrival at the home he made a hasty examination and made the discovery 
that the woman had taken gas and had been dead for probably an hour.

When found by Dr. Jolley she had a picture of her husband in her hand, clutching 
it tightly as if it was the last thing she had thought of as she entered that 
last sleep.  And, on a chair near her body was found a note addressed to her 
husband which had also been one of her last acts and which told of the weight 
that was pressing her heart and gave the cause of her decision to "end it all."  

Neighbors and relatives claim that Mrs. Davis had always been very devoted to 
her husband but that of late he had not shown much interest in her.  In fact, he 
left home Sunday morning informing his wife that he was going to take a trip to 
Chicago.

Relatives state that he didn't tell his wife who he was going to visit in 
Chicago, or when he would return.  This is thought to have been the reason for 
the North Chicago woman committing sucide.  

Neighbors state that Mrs. Davis of late has made remarks which showed clearly 
that she feared that her husband was losing interest in her entirely and the he 
was "going around with other women."

Every effort was made to locate the husband Monday, but without success.  At 
last, this morning, he returned home to get the biggest shock of his life when 
he heard that his wife had ended her life.

George Hagen, North Chicago, father of the dead woman, went to her home to visit 
her Monday noon, but found the door locked and thus went away thinking that his 
daughter was out visiting.  Later in the day Mrs. Frederick Hagen of Waukegan, a 
sister went to North Chicago to visit her.  The sister did not have any trouble 
in entering the home.  She states that while she was at the home her sister 
acted queerly seeming quite nervous.  

Mrs. Davis told her sister that her husband left home Sunday morning bound for 
Chicago and that he did not give her any satisfaction as to when he would 
return.  However she stated that she fully expected that he wold return that 
same night and seemed grief stricken because he had not returned.

About 2 o'clock, it is said that Mrs. Davis informed her sister that she had 
visited long enough and that it was time for her to go home, this the sister 
left for home.  Thus it is apparent that she had contemplated suicide before the  
arrival of her sister.

Mrs. Davis was 26 years of age.  She leaves two daughters, Rose aged 7 and 
Minnie aged 5.  She is also survived by her father, husband, and several sisters 
and brothers.

An inquest will be held at the Petroshius undertaking parlors at 7:30 this 
evening.


Husband Arrives, Hears "News"

John Davis, husband of the dead woman, returned home Tuesday a.m.   He had very 
little to say regarding his wife's motive in committing suicide.  He told Chief 
Hemmick that she had threatened to take gas on several occasions.  

He went to the Petroshius morgue Tuesday and viewed his wife's remains.  After 
looking at the body for a minute he fainted away and had to be carried from the 
morgue.

Additional Comments:
Buried in Oakwood Cemetery, Waukegan, Lake County, Illinois

File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/il/lake/obits/d/davis465ob.txt

This file has been created by a form at http://www.poppet.org/ilfiles/

File size: 5.5 Kb