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Hancock County Historical Society
Carthage, Illinois
Siegfried II
Page 21
MRS. MARTHA E. BURNS.
Carthage, Ill., Feb. 28. --- Mrs. Martha Ella Burns died at 11:30 Saturday night in Memorial hospital. She was the widow of James J. Burns and had lived in Carthage since her marriage in Keokuk Feb. 2, 1916.
The daughter of William and Nancy Bryant Boston, Mrs. Burns was born Sept. 24, 1872, in Carthage township. She has been a member of the Carthage Christian church for 64 years.
Surviving are a daughter, Mrs. Fern Langley of Dodge City, Kas.; three sons, James of Moline and Joe and Walton, both of Carthage; three brothers, Marvin Boston of Carthage, Ray Boston of Niota (rest of article missing).
The Press-News Journal
Canton, Missouri
Thursday
April 13, 1989
Page 3B
Column 2
Ernest Bailey
Ernest C. Bailey, 79, of Lewistown, died Thursday, April 6, 1989, in Prairie View Rest Home near Lewistown.
Ernest Carlton Bailey was born Oct. 7, 1909, near Lewistown, a son of John and Josephine Bryant Bailey. He was a farmer, and a graduate of Lewistown High School. He was a member of Park United Methodist Church of Lewistown.
Survivors include a brother, Kenneth Bailey of Lewistown; and other relatives. He was preceded in death by a brother and a sister.
Funeral services were held Monday in Arnold's Funeral Home in Lewistown, conducted by the Rev. Bruce Jeffries. Music was furnished by John Sharpe, with Nina McKenzie at the organ.
Pall bearers were Leo Grim, Howard Fleer, Ernest Thomas, Garrett Haines, John McKenzie, Jr., and Jesse Stone, Jr. Burial was in Lewistown Cemetery.
A.E. 1927
Page 47
TAKES HIS LIFE BY
HANGING HIMSELF
Geo. W. Baily, aged 77, committed suicide early Saturday morning by hanging himself with a rope in the garage of his home at Carthage. He was a wealthy retired farmer and moved to Carthage from Ferris. A suit was filed against Mr. Baily for the aleniation of the affections of Mrs. Elzie Groves and it is thought that this was the cause of the rash act.
Sheriff J. E. Brown assisted in cutting the rope holding the dead man.
Hancock County Historical Society
Carthage, Illinois
Siegfried XIX
Page 187
GEORGE BAILEY COMMITS
SUICIDE BY HANGING SELF
---
Worry Over Impending Lawsuit Thought to Have
Caused Prominent Carthage Man to Take Own Life
-Body Found Suspended in Garage
---
Worry over an impending lawsuit is thought to have been the cause of the suicide of George W. Bailey, 77, in a barn at the rear of his residence on East Walnut street late Friday night or early Saturday morning.
Suicide by hanging was the verdict returned by the coroner's jury that conducted the investigation in the Ostrich Funeral Home Saturday afternoon.
The body was discovered suspended from a rope in the barn, used of a garage, at the rear of the residence by Mrs. Mary Groves, housekeeper for Mr. Bailey.
Sheriff J. E. Brown, deputies Mosley and Galloway and Gay Egbers, a neighbor, together with Coroner Geo. T. Moore were hurriedly summoned and the body was cut down and removed to the Ostrich Funeral Home.
Letters found in the room of the dead man led to the belief that the suicide was the result of worry over the lawsuit filed against him for the sum of $15, 000. This suit was brought by Elzie Benton Groves and charged the alienation of the affections of Groves' wife, Mrs. Mary Groves.
Mr. Bailey, a well known and highly respected citizen of Carthage, would have reached his 77 birthday in August. For many years he had resided on a farm near Adrian, moving to Carthage upon retiring from active life where he occupied a large and beautiful home.
Following the death of his wife four years ago he took the Groves family, husband, wife and two children, into his home. Some trouble, the nature of which was not disclosed, soon arose. That there was an association between the filing of the suit and the act of self-destruction is generally admitted.
Suit Filed Thursday.
The suit was filed in the circuit court of Hancock County Thursday. Although Mr. Bailey left no message giving explicit reasons for his act it is the general impression that he brooded over the publicity of the suit and the circumstances attending it. A man of high standing in community and church he was extremely sensitive regarding the publicity which was sure to follow no matter what the merits and outcome of the suit might be and in his desperation took his own life in order to end the worries to which he was subjected.
At the inquest held by Coroner Geo. T. Moore and a jury composed of George Johnson, Scott Belknap, Andrew Moore, Joseph Boston, John B. Hendricks and D. D. Meaux the following testimony was heard:
Mrs. Groves Testifies.
Mrs. Mary Groves being duly sworn said:
"I have kept house five years for Mr. Bailey. My husband and I have always had trouble. I have three children. I keep Lawrence and Blanche at Mr. Bailey's with me. About five years ago he (the husband) would not work and I had to take in washing and roomers to make a living. I bought five hundred pounds of popcorn and popped it and had Blanche sell it around town. He started suit against Mr. Bailey in 1925. I have never left Mr. Bailey's in five years. I just furnished the food and he the house, lights and fuel for his board. He was sitting in the room we call the sun parlor, reading, when Mr. Mosley came with the summons. I went to the door when Mr. Mosley came and I went and told Uncle George that Mr. Mosley wanted to see him. He said, 'lets go outside' and he told me what Mr. Mosley wanted. It grieved him so when he told and said everything would come out alright - to trust in God - the innocent ones had to suffer for what the bad ones had done; Mr. Groves, my husband, had threatened him ten thousand times - he said he would kill the whole bunch of us. I heard Uncle George up about half past twelve, shortly after the clock struck. I heard him in the bath room. I never heard him go back to his room. I found him at 5:30. I first went to Lawrence's room to wake him up to go to work and I supposed Uncle George was asleep. As I passed his room I saw he had already gotten up. His dresser drawer was open and several papers lying on the dresser and I hollered to Lawrence that something had happened to Uncle George. I went through the basement, shop and then to the garage and I did not see anything of him. I was right under him before I saw him. I sent Lawrence to the sheriff to get the coroner. Then I called Mr. Will Bailey and Mrs. Roath and went home and sat down. I don't think Elzie and Mr. Bailey had any trouble. I never heard of him accusing Mr. Bailey. He most always was mad at Lawrence." (Signed)
Mrs. Mary Groves.
Lawrence Groves being duly sworn said:
As long as I can remember father kept threatening mother. My father was not very good to me. My mother went to work for Mr. Bailey. Mr. Bailey always treated all of us like a father. When I went there I started in school and did odd jobs and worked in the summer and I did all I could to support the family. My father was not a good provider not as much as he should. I always turned in my money to my mother. He never took any of my money but threatened to. He tried to choke me Thursday evening; June 23, 1927. He never fought my mother at any time but he was not a good provider. I am 18 years old. He never turned in his money to mother at any time. He left home about 1925 and put up at Arthur Mosley. It was hard for mother to keep going if she had not gone to Mr. Bailey. He always kept the pocket book till we moved in town. I never did give him any money. I don't think it was any fault of mother that mother and father did not get along. When father and mother were living together mother worked hard. When we moved in to Mr. Bailey's he got so he would not work and support the family. He left on his own accord. He did not say what he was leaving for but got to write a couple of letters for him. I don't know exactly what was in the letters but he asked $3500 in three or four days. I don't know of any ground he should ask $3500 for. He never got the $3500. That was in 1905.
(Signed) LAWRENCE GROVES
Given under my hand and seal at Carthage, this 27th day of June, A. D., 1927.
GEORGE T. MOORE,
Coroner of Hancock County, Illinois.
Services Yesterday.
Mr. Bailey is survived by three sons and two daughters. The sons are William Bailey of Bushnell, Everett Bailey of Adrian and Dr. Homer Bailey of Oklahoma City. The daughters are Mrs. J. S. Webber of Ottumwa, Iowa and Mrs. Justus Roath of Adrian. He was a member of the Methodist church and interested in all of its activities. Funeral services were held Wednesday morning at 10 o'clock at the Methodist church. Services were conducted by Rev. J. T. Dodds, of Monmouth, with Rev. Arthur Cates, assisting. Burial at Moss Ridge was in charge of Hancock Lodge No. 20 A. F. & A. M., of which the deceased was a member.
John W. Bailey
Funeral Services For John W. Bailey Were Held Sat.
John W. Bailey, son of James A. and Alice King Bailey, was born near Lewistown, Mo., December 11, 1886. He died Thursday morning at 4:08 in St. Mary hospital at Quincy, following hip surgery. He was a retired farmer and prominent cattle buyer.
Funeral services were held Saturday afternoon, July 16, at 2 in the Park Methodist church with Rev. Carl Brandt officiating. Music was furnished by Miss Opal Mae Hinkle, organist, and Roy Richardson, vocalist.
Interment was in the Lewistown cemetery. Casket bearers were Albert Dye, Robert McCoy, Herman Hutton, Robert Patchin, Roger Burnett and Elmer Williams.
Mr. Bailey spent his entire life in and around Lewistown, except for 6½ years that he lived near Williamstown.
On September 19, 1906, he was united in marriage to Josephine Bryant, near Lewistown. To this union was born four children, Edith A; Ernest C.; R. Kenneth and Robert B. He was a member of Park Methodist Church.
Survivors include his wife, 3 sons, one daughter-in-law, Mildred Bailey; 2 brothers, Thomas F. Bailey and Edward C. (Ted) Bailey, and a sister, Mrs. Leslie Burgess, all of Lewistown; 5 grandchildren, Richard, Wyverne and Larry Penn, Dennis and Judy Bailey; 6 great grandchildren, nieces, nephews, and other relatives and friends. He was preceded in death by his parents, his daughter, Mrs. Edith A. Penn, 2 sisters, Mrs. Minnie Wheat and Mrs. Anna Seigworth.
The Press-News Journal
Canton, Missouri
Thursday
March 12, 1987
Page 2B
Column 2
Josephine Bailey
Mrs. Josephine Bailey, 99, of Lewistown, died Thursday, March 5, 1987, in LaBelle Manor Nursing Home.
Josephine Frances Bailey was born Dec. 15, 1887, near Carthage, a daughter of Joseph and Mary Reeder Bryant. She married
John W. Bailey Sept. 19, 1906, in Monticello. He died July 14, 1966. Mrs. Bailey was a homemaker and a member of Park United Methodist Church of Lewistown.
Survivors include three sons, Ernest C., Kenneth and Robert B., all of Lewistown; five grandchildren; 12 great grandchildren; and other relatives. She was also preceded in death by a daughter and a sister.
Funeral services were held Saturday in Arnold's Funeral Home, Lewistown, conducted by the Rev. Wilbur Sharpe. Music was furnished by Mrs. Rosemary Smith.
Pallbearers were Leo Grim, Tim Penn, Vern Turpin, Delmar Scoggin, Stephen Penn, and Roy Ed Stinson. Burial was in Lewistown Cemetery.
