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- The St. Louis Star and Times, Saturday, 16 August 1941
Suicide Verdict Is Returned In Mrs. Bass? Death
Wife of Widely-known Attorney Found Fatally Shot at Her Home
A coroner?s verdict of ?suicide while suffering a temporary mental aberration? was returned today in the death of Mrs. Helen Patricia Bass, 38-year-old wife of Sigmund M. Bass, widely-known St. Louis Lawyer who specializes in the practice of criminal law. Mrs. Bass was found dead in their home at 32 Vandeventer place last night, a bullet wound in her right chest.
Bass, testifying at the inquest, said his wife had been morose and twice in the past had attempted suicide. Dr. John Connor, family physician and one of the physicians attached to the coroner?s office, said there were powder burns around the wound. A 22-caliber automatic target pistol was found near her right hand.
Bass testified he found his wife lying between twin beds in her bedroom, clad in a nightgown, shortly before 9 o?clock last night and immediately called police.
Didn?t Fee Well
?Before I left the office,? he said, ?I had a call from Mrs. bass. She said she was not feeling well and preferred that we did not eat out.
?When I arrived home, she called from upstairs to ask me to set the table. She came down presently and started to eat, but pushed the plate aside and ran upstairs.
?I finished eating, then decided not to bother her and got into my car and started out to visit a relative. I drove as far as Skinker, turned around and went back home.
?When I got back to the house, the light in her room was on. I went to my room and went to bed to read a magazine for a while. Either then or later, I noticed that the drawer in my dresser where I keep my 22-caliber target pistol was open.
?After reading for a while, I went to her room to get the newspaper, which I thought she had. Opening the door, I found her dead. Her body was lying between the twin beds. The brown leather holster for the pistol was on one of the beds, and the gun itself was lying at her side.?
Made Two Attempts
Bass said his wife had taken overdoses of sleeping powder several years ago, twice attempting suicide.
Mrs. Bass, the second wife of the lawyer, was the daughter of James McCaffery and the present Mrs. Marie Honegger, 5312 Sutherland avenue. She was married to bass in Michigan City, Ind. on August 1, 1927, about a year after Bass was divorced from Mrs. Ada R. Bass. They have no children.
Mrs. Bass is also survived by two brothers, James McCaffery, Jr., and Albert Honegger.
Bass, 53 years old, is the son of the late Simson S. Bass, also widely known for his practice in criminal law.
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Bassett Family Association Database
1887 - 1968 (80 years)