Submitted by:  Timothy D. Hudson



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Home Advocate
Friday, 18 September 1885, page 2
SUPPOSED SUICIDE. 
Perhaps a Murder.

Sunday morning last intense excitement was caused at this place by the news 
that Miss Ida Shuster, a beautiful young Jewess, sixteen years of age, daughter 
of postmaster Isaac Shuster, had put an end to her own existence by taking 
strychnine.
Miss Ida was a native of Farmerville and had been reared in our midst. She 
possessed an active mind and being of a studious nature she was generally 
foremost in her classes at school. Saturday night she was seemingly in her 
ordinary cheerful frame of mind, and was engaged in pleasant conversation with 
the family and a young gentleman visitor until about 10 o'clock, at which hour 
the family retired. In about an hour afterward the severe convulsions of Ida 
awakened an elder sister who occupied the bed with her, and who immediately 
aroused the family. Dr. W. W. Barnes, the family  physician who lived near was 
called and he reached the bedside in a few minutes. This convulsion passed off 
and the young lady was rational for a few seconds but did not seem to realize 
her dangerous condition. She refused to take the medicines prescribed by the 
physician, and before further medical aid could be rendered another paroxysm 
seized her which resulted in her death.
Sunday morning Dr. C. H. Jameson, Coroner, empaneled [sic] a jury of inquest, 
and "after viewing the body of dec'd, and after hearing the evidence of  W. W. 
Barnes, M. D. and Mrs. Shuster, and the statement of Isaac Shuster" returned the 
following verdict: That Ida Shuster came to her death on the night of Sept. 12th, 
produced by taking strychnine, supposed to have been administered herself, procured 
from sources unknown to the jury.
No reason could be assigned why the young lady should take her own life until the 
following facts were elicited: About one year ago, S. S. Kirkpatrick, a young man 
about twenty seven years of age, came to Farmerville and secured employment as 
druggist, he also secured board in the family of this young lady.
The belief exists that by his assumed gentlemanly conduct, he won the confidence 
of the family; made vows of love to the young lady, and, by promise of an early 
matrimonial union, persuaded her to yield to his lecherous desires. 
On the other hand, it is asserted that no engagement of marriage ever existed 
between the parties, and that no satisfactory evidence of it has been produced. The 
truth or fallacy of these reports and assertions may, perhaps, be confirmed by 
future developments. It is certain, however, that Kirkpatrick left here early 
Thursday morning, and that the young lady died from the effects of strychnine soon 
after learning of his departure. This leads to the conclusion that his flight caused 
her to take the fatal drug to hide her shame and end her blighted life.
The unfortunate young lady was interred in the Jewish cemetery at this place, at 
4:30 p. m., Sunday. A large number of citizens attended her funeral, and had it not 
been for a misunderstanding as to the hour of burial there would have been a more 
general attendance.

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