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Pike County Chronicle, Missouri, Thursday, 29 February 1940
Mrs. William Bass Takes Own life Wednesday
Widow Was Despondent Since Husband?s Death in November, 1939
Mrs. Florence Bass died yesterday morning at 11:45 o?clock from the result of swallowing poison, self-administered. Mrs. Bass was found a few minutes after nine o?clock by Carr Davis, and employe of the Bass Plumbing Co., as he returned from the post office.
Mr. Davis said he walked through the living room calling Mrs. Bass. Hearing laborious breathing he went into her bedroom, and found her lying on the bed. He called to her, but received no answer. He telephoned Mrs. Sam Weber, a friend and neighbor of Mrs. Bass, and then called a physician.
Mrs. Weber notified Mrs. Dean Craft, another close friend of the deceased. At Mrs. Craft?s home were Mrs. Blanche Christy, daughter of Mrs. Bass, and her three children, Beal, Billie and Bobbie. Mrs. Christy had arrived from California Tuesday afternoon to make her permanent home with her mother. The children had previously lived with Mrs. Bass.
At an inquest Wednesday afternoon at Haley?s mortuary several witnesses stated that Mrs. Bass had been gravely despondent since the death of her husband, William Bass on Nov. 29th. She had mentioned the futility of living since her husband?s death on several occasions to her grandchildren, and friends, Mrs. Annie Bell, Mrs. Weber and Mrs. Craft. She also had brought the subject up to Mr. Dick, and Mrs. Christy testified her mother mentioned several subjects pertaining to death Tuesday evening.
Yesterday morning Mrs. Bass insisted that her daughter and grandchildren call on Mrs. Weber and Mrs. Craft since they had not seen Mrs. Christy for a long time. The grandchildren and Mrs. Christy testified that Mrs. Bass was in excellent humor expressing gratitude that the family was re-united. She did not seem despondent or melancholy as she had the evening before. She insisted on her daughter and grandchildren coming back at 11 o?clock to prepare lunch for themselves. Mrs. Christy said it was 9:05 o?clock when they left, and she and her children did not see her mother again until several minutes later when they were notified to come home at once.
Beal Dick, Mrs. Bass? grandson who arrived two week?s ago from California to make his home with his grandmother and his sisters and brother, found an empty glass in the bathroom basin, from which his grandmother evidently drank. The attending physician testified the contents must have been a preparation of creosote. He administered an antidote and heart stimulant, but to no avail. The empty bottle was found in the furnace with the label burned off, by Beal, who testified he had seen the bottle and its contents in the desk of the late William Bass. It was learned that this medicine preparation had been used by him in the treatment of asthma, and was dealy poison. Beal said the bottle was approximately three-fourths full when he had last seen it.
A jury of six men at the inquest gave the verdict that the deceased came to death by swallowing poison self-administered.
Surviving Mrs. Bass are: Mrs. Blanche Christy, adopted daughter, and three children by her first marriage by her first marriage, Beal Dick, Miss Billie Dick and Bobbie Dick. The three children had made their home with Mrs. Bass for fourteen years, except Beal who lived in California with his mother for the last two years. Also surviving Mrs. Bass are two sisters, Mrs. Genette Hodson of Purcell, Mo., and Mrs. Geneva Buckner of Anderson, Calif.
Mrs. Bass? body was taken to the Haley mortuary where funeral services will be held Friday afternoon at 2:30 o?clock with the Rev. E.E. Morrow officiating.
Mrs. Florence Bass was born in a farming community near Webb City, Mo., Dec. 9, 1875 to George and Flora Hotckiss Stroupe. She was married to William bass, a native of Louisiana, on April 18, 1900. Five years later she and her husband moved here, where Mr. Bass was engaged in the plumbing and heating business. Mrs. Bass was of the Quaker faith. After her father?s death her mother, Mrs. Stroupe moved here, and later married the father of Mr. Bass.
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Bassett Family Association Database
1875 - 1940 (64 years)