Frances M. Sparks

Mrs. A. L. Sparks Takes Own Life

Mrs. Frances Sparks, wife of Archie L. Sparks of the Royal Valley neighborhood, took her own life while in a fit of despondency Tuesday afternoon, at the Sparks ranch, about nine miles south of Lusk.

Mrs. Sparks, who had been in ill health for a long time, returned last fall from a sanitarium, where she had been receiving treatment, and was believed by her family to be recovering from her mental ailments, and her rash act was wholly unexpected.

Mr. Sparks had been called to Lost Springs, and the children being away to school Mrs. Sparks was left alone at her home. Seized by a fit of melancholia, she sat down on the edge of a bed in one of the small rooms of the house, and after placing the muzzle of a 12-gauge shotgun against her chin, she pulled the trigger with a stick which she had apparently whittled out for the purpose.

She was found by her brother-in-law, E. O. Kint, who stopped at the ranch by mere chance.

After Coroner Armstrong had been notified, he and County Attorney Frank A. Barrett went to the scene of the tragedy. A coroner's jury was empaneled, composed of Chas. E. Senters, Floyd McLain and Roy McLain, who returned a verdict that deceased had met death by her own hand.

The funeral services, which are in charge of the Universal Undertaking parlors, will be held at 1:30 o'clock, Saturday afternoon, in Lusk.

Obituary

Mrs. Frances Sparks was born on August 3, 1877, at Papillion, Neb., and while still a small child moved to Neleigh, Neb., where she grew to womanhood. She was married to A. L. Sparks at Royal, Neb., in 1901, and they moved to Lusk in 1910. Mrs. Sparks was a member of the Methodist church, having joined when she was 18 years old.

Besides her husband she is survived by five children, Mrs. Tillie Roley of Princeton, Florida; Mrs. Thelma Bray of Lusk; Julius, Violet and Mae Sparks of Lusk.

Mrs. Sparks has a host of warm friends in Niobrara county, who admired her for her good qualities as a neighbor and friend, and who genuinely regret her unfortunate death.

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