Individual Details

Death

SUICIDE OF LENA NULL

She Died From The Effect Of Poison Administered By Herself Last Tuesday.

Engelina Margaretha Null committed suicide at the home of her mother, Mrs. Henry Null In Monticello, last Tuesday morning, by taking one-six-teenth of an ounce of strychnine. Miss Null had been in ill health for some time, and her rash act is therefore attributed to her ill health, and consequent despondency. Miss Null had purchased an eighth of an ounce of strychnine at the F. J. Kay drug store and signed up for it on the poison register as the law requires. She stated to the druggist that the poison was to be used to do away with rats about her mother's home. It seems that she followed the directions which come with the poison in mixing it with sugar and water. This she did in a saucer, at her bedside, and calmly drank half of the contents of the bottle. She soon began to feel the terrible effects of the poison, and called her mother, to whom she admitted that she had taken poison. A doctor was called immediately, but when he arrived she had already passed away. The poison did not act so vigorously as it usually does and Miss Null' s convulsions were not of a violent character, but death followed quickly.
Miss Null was a pleasant and cheerful young woman, and because of her optimistic disposition her rash act is the more unaccountable. No doubt her fear of an increase in ill health had so prayed upon her mind as to unbalance it.
Miss Null had been employed in the local exchange of the Northwestern Bell Telephone Co. She had many friendly acquaintances who are pained to learn of her untimely death. She was born in Clay township, in 1901.
Since the death of her father, Henry Null, she had lived with her mother in Monticello. She is survived by her mother, Mrs. Henry Null , and the following brothers: William, Lorenz, Elwill and Orlando.
The funeral services were held at one o'clock this afternoon at the home of Mrs. Henry Null and thereafter final services were held at St. John's Evangelical Lutheran church. Both services were conducted by Rev. Paul Gutkneckt , the pastor of that church.