Ionia County MI Archives Obituaries.....Ward, Helen Jane October 16, 1941 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/mi/mifiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Nan Wheaton wheaton1624@yahoo.com August 6, 2016, 11:15 pm Ingham County News - Thursday, Oct. 23, 1941 GIRL TAKES OWN LIFE, KEEPS REASON SECRET FATHER EXPECTED TO RECOVER FROM SUICIDE ATTEMPT. Helen Ward, 20, died at the Ponton hospital in Mason shortly before midnight Thursday after swallowing a lethal dose of rat poison. Her father, Hiram Ward, in his bereavement, slashed his throat with a knife Monday, the day following the funeral services for his daughter. Dr. William E. Clark of Mason was called to the Ward home on Meridian road immediately after the act and sewed up the gashes. The doctor said the father will probably recover. Officers, the parents, and the doctor were unable to draw from the girl the reason for her act. She refused to tell why she had taken the poison and would not admit she had taken poison. She left a note addressed to her mother stating, "This is the best way out. Don't worry." Handwriting experts compared the writing on the note with letters written by the girl and declared the writing in the note to be that of the girl. Justice William S. Seelye of Mason, acting as coroner, held that the girl died by her own hand. The parents said their daughter had complained of frequent heart attacks. VISITED LANSING HOME Shortly before six o'clock Friday evening, the girl called at the home of W.G. Potter ad his son, L.G. Potter, 23, in Lansing. She did not appear to be disturbed mentally, the Potters said. At six o'clock she called a cab and told the Potters she was going to her work at the Regent Café near that Olds Motor Works. A half hour later she returned in the cab to the Potter home. On arrival there she went to the bathroom. When she came out she said she felt sick. The Potters inquired if she had taken any medicine and she replied in the negative. The father and son grew alarmed at the girls condition, though, and the son insisted on driving her to the Ward home east of Mason. The girl was taken with violent spasms on the ride to Mason and L.G. Potter stopped the car. Later he recalled that Miss Ward had thrown something out of the car. On arrival at the Ward home their daughter's condition alarmed the parents and they summoned Dr. Clark. The doctor went to the home and ordered the girl brought to a Mason hospital. She refused to tell what poison she had taken and denied that she had taken any. The doctor worked over her for four hours before death came. Questioned by sheriff's officers, L.G. Potter told of stopping the care enroute to the Ward home and of something being tossed from the car window. Potter accompanied officers to the spot where the car had been stopped and on search in the weeds part a tube of rat poison was found. Analysis showed that the poison taken by the girl was the same poison contained in the tube. Helen Jane Ward was born in Ionia county July 27, 1921, the daughter of Hiram and Goldie Ward. As a small child she came with her parents to Mason and lived here 15 years, attending the Mason school. She returned a few years ago to Ionia to make her home with her grandmother, Mrs. Anna Ward. She was a member of the Methodist church and was active in church work. Surviving are the parents, the grandmother a grandfather, George White of Lyons, two brothers, James Ward of Leslie and William Ward of Mason, and two sisters, Lorain and Dorothy Funeral services were held at the Jewett chapel Sunday afternoon with burial in the Easton cemetery, Ionia. Dr. William B. Hartzog of Mason officiated at the service. Additional Comments: Funeral: Sunday 18, October 1941 Easton cemetery #358 File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/mi/ionia/obits/w/ward33453nob.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.net/mifiles/ File size: 4.2 Kb