from a loose clipping, source unknown 26 November 1891
Death of Mrs. Dodge.
Our people were very much startled at the news received on
Thursday of last week of the sudden death of Mrs. E. P. Dodge, of
Millburn. The sad part of it was that she had shot herself with a
revolver. The cause of her death was despondency arising from an
invalid life of several years. For some months past she had seemed
a little better and more cheerful, and there was no thought that
she would or could do what she did. The revolver belonged to Mr.
Dodge and he had taken it from his office to his house, and had
concealed it, and supposed she was ignorant of where it was.
It being Thanksgiving day, the girl went home early that morning,
and Mr. Dodge arose about six o'clock leaving his wife asleep, and
attended to part of his chores. He then went to the house to see
if everything was all right and his little girl told him her mamma
was still asleep, and he returned to the barn and finished the
morning work.
Upon coming in about 8 o'clock he went to their room and found his
wife apparently sleeping, but upon looking closely she was found
to be dead. Turning down the bed clothing he found that her life
had been taken by a shot from the revolver. The ball passed
through her heart, and she lay there at rest having died without a
struggle. The revolver had evidently been discharged under the bed
clothes closely drawn around her, and hence the report was muffled
and unheard.
The deceased was a lady of bright cheerful disposition, of a
lovely Christian character. She was raised in the neighborhood,
her maiden name being Miss Ruby Barry. She was a sister of Miss
Doctor Barry, formerly of this city and now of La Crosse, Wis.,
and who is highly esteemed here. The funeral was held on Saturday
forenoon, Nov. 28, from the family residence, and was very largely
attended by friends and relatives, all of whom so deeply
sympathize with the bereaved family.
