Getman, Della (Stanton) 1878-1932 Cooperstown Obituary

Getman, Della (Stanton) 1878-1932 Cooperstown Obituary

Ill Health Causes Woman's Suicide

Mrs. Della Getman Ends Life With Shotgun

At Farm Near Cooperstown

Cooperstown, april 3---Taking advantage of the temporary absence of members of her family, Mrs. Della Getman, 54, wife of Dorr Getman, committed suicide at about 11 o'clock yesterday morning. She shot herself through the heart with a double-barrelled shotgun. She took her life in an icehouse on their farm, which is located in the town of Springfield, seven miles from Cooperstown, and about a half-mile off the main road leading from Cooperstown to Springfield Center.

When discovered by Mrs. Ella McManus, an aunt, and Fred Armstrong, a laborer on the Getman farm, she was thought to have been dead about an hour. State Police Sergeant John L. Cunningham and Trooper Razy of the Cooperstown outpost, who were called to the scene, notified Coroner Harrie V. Frink of Richfield Springs. He pronounced death due to suicidal causes, following his investigation. It is said that Mrs. Getman had declared her intention of taking her life several times during a long period of ill health.

Mr. Getman left his farm about 9:30 o'clock Saturday morning to come to Cooperstown on business. Mrs. Getman had usually accompanied him on these trips to town, but yesterday she expressed a wish to remain home. She said she did not feel as well as usual. One of her last requests as Mr. Getman left her was that he call upon her doctor in town and procure more medicine for her.

At about 11 o'clock, Armstrong, the farm hand, who had also been absent from the house on an errand to the farm of a neighbor, returned to the house. Not finding Mrs. Getman about, he went into the apartment in the Getman house occupied by Mrs. McManus to inquire if she had seen anything of her. Both began a search, and the lifeless body of Mrs. Getman was finally located in the icehouse by Mrs. McManus.

From surrounding conditions, it seemed evident to the authorities that Mrs. Getman had gone about her suicidal plans with considerable deliberation. The gun which she had used had been hidden from her by her husband some time ago. When put away it had contained no shells, it was said, but these had been found by Mrs. Getman in their hiding place on the top pantry shelf. Two shells had been taken from the box. One had evidently been discharged in order to discover if the weapon was in working order. The empty shell was found lying on the floor near her body. The other had been shot with true aim through the heart.

Her spectacles and a bonnet, which she had evidently put on when she left the house, had been taken off and carefully placed on a beam in the icehouse near where her lifeless body had fallen. Stuck into the wall beside them was also a sharp parring knife, which the authorities believed she had intended for use in case the shots did not prove fatal.

Upon the order of Coroner Frink, the body was removed to the Cooperstown funeral parlors of Brown and Tillapaugh, where the funeral will be held tomorrow afternoon at 2 o'clock. The Rev. Dr. Edward C. Petrie, pastor of the First Presbyterian church of Cooperstown will officiate. Interment will be made in Lakewood Cemetery.

Mrs. Getman was Della Stanton, a daughter of the late Levi and Mary Anne (VanCourt) Stanton, and was born in the town of Springfield, March 18, 1878. Her death occurred on the fifth anniversary of the death of her father. Her marriage to Mr. Getman occurred about 35 years ago. They had lived on the farm where she died for about 17 years, moving there from Christian Hill, in Harwick township.

Surviving besides the husband are two daughters, Mrs. Herbert Tyler of Cooperstown, R. D. and Mrs. Paul McManus of Deloris, Colo. There also remain one sister, Mrs. William Hoffman of East Springfield, and two brothers, Charles Stanton of East Springfield and Newton Stanton of Pierstown; as well as four granchildren.