Age 60y 4m 9d
"Delphi Weekly Times," Delphi, Indiana, Page 1, July 13, 1883
Mrs. Phebe Brown Closes Her Life
"Word was received in this city on Thursday afternoon of last week that Mrs. Phebe Brown, an aged lady living two miles east of Cutler, in Democrat Township, Carroll County, had committed suicide by hanging. An inquiry elicited the following facts: sometime on Wednesday night, Mrs. Brown arose and left her house, taking with her a clothes line and proceeded to a woods pasture on her farm some distance from the residence, and lashed herself to a tree with the line. She was not in an elevated position, tying the fatal knot while her feet were resting on the ground. After completing her preparations she lifted her feet from the ground and died a slow and certainly agonizing death from strangulation.
Search was made for the unfortunate lady as soon as her absence was discovered, and it resulted in the finding of her remains lashed to the tree. This discovery was made by David Rutter, a neighbor, who shortly afterward telegraphed the Coroner, who immediately repaired to the scene of the tragedy and prepared to hold an inquest. The examination of the witnesses elicited information corroborating the statement given above and created an impression that melancholia or mental depression was the only reason that could be assigned for the rash act. The testimony of Mr. Rutter, who was the principal witness examine is given below and there was no conflicting evidence adduced.
John F. Patty came to my house shortly after daylight and wanted to know if Aunt Phebe was there. I told him she was not. He said he feared something was wrong...she was gone. I started with him and went to her house. He went to Mr. Thomas' stable to see if she was milking. When he came in we started through the wheat field. We had not gone far when I saw her foot tracks in the dust. We went on into the cornfield. I told him to go on and see if she went to Mrs. Jane Patty's. He came back and said he could not see any more footprints. I then went over to see if she could have gone that way. I went almost to the Lafayette Road. I came back to her land and got over in her woods. I had gone but a rod or so until I saw her. I ran to where she was. I had not gone far when I saw she was tied to a tree with a rope. I thought maybe she was not dead, but when I got to her and looked her in the face, I saw she was dead. I then ran thirty or forty yards and then hollered. I told John that if he found her to holler and I agreed to do the same. I ran on in and I believe I hollered once more and that time some one answered. I told them I had found her hung to a tree dead. She was on the north side of the tree looking southeast; her left hand hung by her left side and her right hand hung full length by her right side; she was on her knees. After I told Patty, he and I went back to where she was. That time I took hold of her wrist; it was cold, although her arm did not appear to be stiff. At that time quite a number came over. I then went and telegraphed the Coroner. I was well acquainted with her. I lived here by her for seven or eight years; at sometimes she was cheerful and at other times, she was not; she was not very well fixed. She had twenty acres--that was about all she had. I think it was an act of her own; that is my candid impression about it.
After a careful examination of the premises and the witnesses, Coroner Shultz returned the following verdict:
I Judson A. Shultz, Coroner, in and for said County of Carroll and State of Indiana, to inquire and true presentment make in what manner Phebe Brown, whose body was found in Democrat Township, Carroll County, Indiana, July 5, 1883, came to her death after having heard the evidence and examined the body. I do find the deceased came to her death from suffocation by hanging at her own hands. ~Judson J. Shultz, Coroner
Mrs. Brown was a widow, perhaps sixty years of age, she owned twenty acres of land in an excellent neighborhood and was respected by her neighbors as a kind and generous old lady. It is presumed that in a temporary fit of mental aberration some trivial annoyance over-balanced her mind and impelled her to self-destruction
"Delphi Weekly Times," Delphi, Indiana, Page 1, July 13, 1883
Mrs. Phebe Brown Closes Her Life
"Word was received in this city on Thursday afternoon of last week that Mrs. Phebe Brown, an aged lady living two miles east of Cutler, in Democrat Township, Carroll County, had committed suicide by hanging. An inquiry elicited the following facts: sometime on Wednesday night, Mrs. Brown arose and left her house, taking with her a clothes line and proceeded to a woods pasture on her farm some distance from the residence, and lashed herself to a tree with the line. She was not in an elevated position, tying the fatal knot while her feet were resting on the ground. After completing her preparations she lifted her feet from the ground and died a slow and certainly agonizing death from strangulation.
Search was made for the unfortunate lady as soon as her absence was discovered, and it resulted in the finding of her remains lashed to the tree. This discovery was made by David Rutter, a neighbor, who shortly afterward telegraphed the Coroner, who immediately repaired to the scene of the tragedy and prepared to hold an inquest. The examination of the witnesses elicited information corroborating the statement given above and created an impression that melancholia or mental depression was the only reason that could be assigned for the rash act. The testimony of Mr. Rutter, who was the principal witness examine is given below and there was no conflicting evidence adduced.
John F. Patty came to my house shortly after daylight and wanted to know if Aunt Phebe was there. I told him she was not. He said he feared something was wrong...she was gone. I started with him and went to her house. He went to Mr. Thomas' stable to see if she was milking. When he came in we started through the wheat field. We had not gone far when I saw her foot tracks in the dust. We went on into the cornfield. I told him to go on and see if she went to Mrs. Jane Patty's. He came back and said he could not see any more footprints. I then went over to see if she could have gone that way. I went almost to the Lafayette Road. I came back to her land and got over in her woods. I had gone but a rod or so until I saw her. I ran to where she was. I had not gone far when I saw she was tied to a tree with a rope. I thought maybe she was not dead, but when I got to her and looked her in the face, I saw she was dead. I then ran thirty or forty yards and then hollered. I told John that if he found her to holler and I agreed to do the same. I ran on in and I believe I hollered once more and that time some one answered. I told them I had found her hung to a tree dead. She was on the north side of the tree looking southeast; her left hand hung by her left side and her right hand hung full length by her right side; she was on her knees. After I told Patty, he and I went back to where she was. That time I took hold of her wrist; it was cold, although her arm did not appear to be stiff. At that time quite a number came over. I then went and telegraphed the Coroner. I was well acquainted with her. I lived here by her for seven or eight years; at sometimes she was cheerful and at other times, she was not; she was not very well fixed. She had twenty acres--that was about all she had. I think it was an act of her own; that is my candid impression about it.
After a careful examination of the premises and the witnesses, Coroner Shultz returned the following verdict:
I Judson A. Shultz, Coroner, in and for said County of Carroll and State of Indiana, to inquire and true presentment make in what manner Phebe Brown, whose body was found in Democrat Township, Carroll County, Indiana, July 5, 1883, came to her death after having heard the evidence and examined the body. I do find the deceased came to her death from suffocation by hanging at her own hands. ~Judson J. Shultz, Coroner
Mrs. Brown was a widow, perhaps sixty years of age, she owned twenty acres of land in an excellent neighborhood and was respected by her neighbors as a kind and generous old lady. It is presumed that in a temporary fit of mental aberration some trivial annoyance over-balanced her mind and impelled her to self-destruction
Age 60y 4m 9d
"Delphi Weekly Times," Delphi, Indiana, Page 1, July 13, 1883
Mrs. Phebe Brown Closes Her Life
"Word was received in this city on Thursday afternoon of last week that Mrs. Phebe Brown, an aged lady living two miles east of Cutler, in Democrat Township, Carroll County, had committed suicide by hanging. An inquiry elicited the following facts: sometime on Wednesday night, Mrs. Brown arose and left her house, taking with her a clothes line and proceeded to a woods pasture on her farm some distance from the residence, and lashed herself to a tree with the line. She was not in an elevated position, tying the fatal knot while her feet were resting on the ground. After completing her preparations she lifted her feet from the ground and died a slow and certainly agonizing death from strangulation.
Search was made for the unfortunate lady as soon as her absence was discovered, and it resulted in the finding of her remains lashed to the tree. This discovery was made by David Rutter, a neighbor, who shortly afterward telegraphed the Coroner, who immediately repaired to the scene of the tragedy and prepared to hold an inquest. The examination of the witnesses elicited information corroborating the statement given above and created an impression that melancholia or mental depression was the only reason that could be assigned for the rash act. The testimony of Mr. Rutter, who was the principal witness examine is given below and there was no conflicting evidence adduced.
John F. Patty came to my house shortly after daylight and wanted to know if Aunt Phebe was there. I told him she was not. He said he feared something was wrong...she was gone. I started with him and went to her house. He went to Mr. Thomas' stable to see if she was milking. When he came in we started through the wheat field. We had not gone far when I saw her foot tracks in the dust. We went on into the cornfield. I told him to go on and see if she went to Mrs. Jane Patty's. He came back and said he could not see any more footprints. I then went over to see if she could have gone that way. I went almost to the Lafayette Road. I came back to her land and got over in her woods. I had gone but a rod or so until I saw her. I ran to where she was. I had not gone far when I saw she was tied to a tree with a rope. I thought maybe she was not dead, but when I got to her and looked her in the face, I saw she was dead. I then ran thirty or forty yards and then hollered. I told John that if he found her to holler and I agreed to do the same. I ran on in and I believe I hollered once more and that time some one answered. I told them I had found her hung to a tree dead. She was on the north side of the tree looking southeast; her left hand hung by her left side and her right hand hung full length by her right side; she was on her knees. After I told Patty, he and I went back to where she was. That time I took hold of her wrist; it was cold, although her arm did not appear to be stiff. At that time quite a number came over. I then went and telegraphed the Coroner. I was well acquainted with her. I lived here by her for seven or eight years; at sometimes she was cheerful and at other times, she was not; she was not very well fixed. She had twenty acres--that was about all she had. I think it was an act of her own; that is my candid impression about it.
After a careful examination of the premises and the witnesses, Coroner Shultz returned the following verdict:
I Judson A. Shultz, Coroner, in and for said County of Carroll and State of Indiana, to inquire and true presentment make in what manner Phebe Brown, whose body was found in Democrat Township, Carroll County, Indiana, July 5, 1883, came to her death after having heard the evidence and examined the body. I do find the deceased came to her death from suffocation by hanging at her own hands. ~Judson J. Shultz, Coroner
Mrs. Brown was a widow, perhaps sixty years of age, she owned twenty acres of land in an excellent neighborhood and was respected by her neighbors as a kind and generous old lady. It is presumed that in a temporary fit of mental aberration some trivial annoyance over-balanced her mind and impelled her to self-destruction
"Delphi Weekly Times," Delphi, Indiana, Page 1, July 13, 1883
Mrs. Phebe Brown Closes Her Life
"Word was received in this city on Thursday afternoon of last week that Mrs. Phebe Brown, an aged lady living two miles east of Cutler, in Democrat Township, Carroll County, had committed suicide by hanging. An inquiry elicited the following facts: sometime on Wednesday night, Mrs. Brown arose and left her house, taking with her a clothes line and proceeded to a woods pasture on her farm some distance from the residence, and lashed herself to a tree with the line. She was not in an elevated position, tying the fatal knot while her feet were resting on the ground. After completing her preparations she lifted her feet from the ground and died a slow and certainly agonizing death from strangulation.
Search was made for the unfortunate lady as soon as her absence was discovered, and it resulted in the finding of her remains lashed to the tree. This discovery was made by David Rutter, a neighbor, who shortly afterward telegraphed the Coroner, who immediately repaired to the scene of the tragedy and prepared to hold an inquest. The examination of the witnesses elicited information corroborating the statement given above and created an impression that melancholia or mental depression was the only reason that could be assigned for the rash act. The testimony of Mr. Rutter, who was the principal witness examine is given below and there was no conflicting evidence adduced.
John F. Patty came to my house shortly after daylight and wanted to know if Aunt Phebe was there. I told him she was not. He said he feared something was wrong...she was gone. I started with him and went to her house. He went to Mr. Thomas' stable to see if she was milking. When he came in we started through the wheat field. We had not gone far when I saw her foot tracks in the dust. We went on into the cornfield. I told him to go on and see if she went to Mrs. Jane Patty's. He came back and said he could not see any more footprints. I then went over to see if she could have gone that way. I went almost to the Lafayette Road. I came back to her land and got over in her woods. I had gone but a rod or so until I saw her. I ran to where she was. I had not gone far when I saw she was tied to a tree with a rope. I thought maybe she was not dead, but when I got to her and looked her in the face, I saw she was dead. I then ran thirty or forty yards and then hollered. I told John that if he found her to holler and I agreed to do the same. I ran on in and I believe I hollered once more and that time some one answered. I told them I had found her hung to a tree dead. She was on the north side of the tree looking southeast; her left hand hung by her left side and her right hand hung full length by her right side; she was on her knees. After I told Patty, he and I went back to where she was. That time I took hold of her wrist; it was cold, although her arm did not appear to be stiff. At that time quite a number came over. I then went and telegraphed the Coroner. I was well acquainted with her. I lived here by her for seven or eight years; at sometimes she was cheerful and at other times, she was not; she was not very well fixed. She had twenty acres--that was about all she had. I think it was an act of her own; that is my candid impression about it.
After a careful examination of the premises and the witnesses, Coroner Shultz returned the following verdict:
I Judson A. Shultz, Coroner, in and for said County of Carroll and State of Indiana, to inquire and true presentment make in what manner Phebe Brown, whose body was found in Democrat Township, Carroll County, Indiana, July 5, 1883, came to her death after having heard the evidence and examined the body. I do find the deceased came to her death from suffocation by hanging at her own hands. ~Judson J. Shultz, Coroner
Mrs. Brown was a widow, perhaps sixty years of age, she owned twenty acres of land in an excellent neighborhood and was respected by her neighbors as a kind and generous old lady. It is presumed that in a temporary fit of mental aberration some trivial annoyance over-balanced her mind and impelled her to self-destruction
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