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LOVE LEADS TO DEATHDr. Gertrude H. Woodworth Finds Solitude Too Much For Her to Bear.SHE USED CHLOROFORMFormer Resident of Algona Unable to Stand Absence of Sons and Dies.Chicago papers of yesterday contain an account of the death by self-administered chloroform of Mrs.' Dr. Gertrude II. Woodworth. Mrs. Wood-worth will be remembered well in Al-gona where she lived for nearly aquar-ter of a century. It was thirty-four years ago that she and her husband came here. Mr. Woodworth was in the general merchandise business, and built the building where John Goed-er’s department store now is. Some ten years ago the family moved to Chicago and about five years ago Mr. Woodworth died there. His remains are interred in the Algona cemetery.Mrs. Woodworth was alone in Chicago and the loneliness of her situation is alleged as the cause for her action. The Post gives the following account of the deed:Her mind enfeebled by a mother’s yearning for her absent children, Dr. Gertrude H. Woodworth, well-known in Chicago medical organizations, com-m ited suieide last nig'ht at her home, 1549 Oakdale avenue. She used chloroform. Dr. Woodworth was sixty-five years old and a widow.It was the woman’s second attempt to take her life within a day. Yesterday morning her friends first learned that she was planning to destroy her-They discovered a bottle of poi-self.son in her possession. A trained nurse was called to keep guard over the woman.Dr. Woodworth was highly respected in the medical profession. She devoted a great part of her life to the study of medicine, although she was not graduated until 1897.After spending several years in hospitals and sanitariums, securing practical experience, Dr. Woodworth entered the Hahnemann Medical college. Graduating in this institution in 1897, she took a post-graduate course in the Chicago Homeopathic hospital.Dr. Woodworth had two sons, both of whom live in Port Arthur, Texas. It was the constant brooding over their absence, Dr. Woodworth’s friends assert, that caused her to suffer a physical breakdown. Recently she inquired repeatedly “when they would return to her.”After the first attempt upon her life the sons were notified to come to Chicago at once. Dr. Woodworth was conscious of her rapidly declining health, and this caused her to long for her sons’ companionship more than ever.Ea^ly yesterday Dr. Woodworth arose and went to her medicine cabinet. She was detected taking a bottle of poison therefrom. This was taken from her. She explained her action by saying:“I am lonely. My sons are from me, my health is failing and my mind is dizzy at times.”A nurse remained with Dr. Wood-worth until early this morning. The patient and nurse had remained awake all night, and as it began togrow light Dr. Woodworth asked that her companion retire for much-needed rest.“I will go and sit by the window,” she said. “You will find me there when you awake.”Hot suspecting the woman’s intention the nurse retired. When she awoke an hour later she found the physician by the window dead. Chloroform had been used.found, that upon his arrival there, that the four lost horses mentioned iri these columes some issues ago, were still lost. The man oh the place turn* ed them out for water one evening and could not find them when, he went to put them In the barn. A few days before Perry reached there four stray horses were advertised for sale and on bis ar* rival Perrystarted to look them upr After traveling two days over the deep snow and with the thermometer sporting with the twenty five below zero mark he found the horses, at a Memnonite settlement, forty four miles away from the ranch. The pound fees and costs came to $35.50 which was paid. It took another two days to get back to the ranch. The Memnonifces had not more than half fed the horses and they were very poor A new man is now on Perry’s place and nothing will need his attention there until the middle of next summer. Things were in fine shape on the ranch and he looks for a good year.DISTRICT COURT NEXT WEEKJudge Quartern to Hold February Term For Koagutb. County.District court for Kossuth county commences the February term next Monday. The docket is of about the usual length with possibly a very few more cases than in ordinary terms. Heither does the docket offer many cases of more than ordinary interest, the most of the cases being regular actions to collect debts or quiet titles.One of these cases which is somewhat involved is that of Mosely against Mannus. Mosely and Mannus were in partnership at Burt. Recent-ly Mosley’s brother from Goldfield sued the firm for a commission and the two brothers stood together. How the Burt Mosely is suing Mannus for an accounting of the partnership.The cases of Lund against Amen and Busch will prove interesting. Busch charges that Lund’s agent got him drunk and while in that condition induced him to sign a $1,400 land contract and note. He seeks to have the contract set aside and the note restored. The Lund people sue on the contract and Busch offers the defense as above stated. The papers in , the Amen case were not available but we. were told it was similar to the Busch case.Barbara Schrauth claims damages in the sum of $2,000 from Clias. Brewster. Her petition states that ^Brewster assaulted her and seriously Injured her head and face with blows during the melee. Papers do not say what the animus of the attack was.The docket contains 200 cases. Theyare divided as follows: Criminal 7,,probate 22, old law 118, new' law 59,. old equity 4G, new equity 14. Judge. Quarton will be on the bench and County Clerk Dowel will officiate fo?-the first time a»s clerk.WAS NOT RUSH OF BUSINESS.Adjourned Meeting of Supervisors Fixed TJ] Small Matters of Interest.Last Thursday and Friday the boarc of supervisors held an adjourned meet ing at which many little matters came up and were settled.A new bond of County Treasure! Ward was presented and accepted.• Several of the townships had nol made their annual reports and the same were ordered at once. The delinquents were Grant. Seneca, Green-
Newspaper Details
Algona Advance
Algona, Iowa, US
Thu, Feb 12, 1903
Page 5
Full Page
Clipped by
Anonymous
IA, USA 15 Nov 2023
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