"Out of a Job, Wife Gone, He Ends His Life..."

Ruth Kellogg and Kenny in Ann Arbor MI in 1934...

One day when I was leafing through my mother's 1935 diary, a yellowed newspaper clipping fell out.  It was tucked between the Nov. 18 and 19 diary entries.

Monday, Nov. 18, 1935  - "Did some cleaning, but am getting a cold and cough and it doesn't give me much pep. Afraid Kenny is also getting a cough.

Charlie Beal called up tonight to say they couldn't come this following Sunday as his brother (on north side) committed suicide last night & they were quite broken up about it for the time being."

The clipping itself tells more about this sad story...
"Out of a Job, Wife Gone, He Ends His Life With Gas"
William R. Beal, 28 years old, 1350 Argyle street, committed suicide by inhaling gas in the kitchen of his home yesterday.  His body was found by his sister-in-law, Mrs. Ruth Holland of Hammond, and by policemen who went to the house to investigate the disappearance of Beal's wife, Marion, 25 years old, which was reported by Beal last Thursday.  A daughter of the couple, Roberta, 3 years old, was left in care of neighbors by Beal Sunday night.  In notes left by Beal he said he was taking his life because he was unable to find employment."

On the following day, Ruth said she was filing the clipping in her diary and added, "It's quite sad."  This was still in the aftermath of the Great Depression, with jobs in short supply.   Ruth was about 3 months pregnant with her second child, which would be me.

President Reagan Shot!

Mon., March 30, 1981
"President Reagan shot plus 3 others.  He has bullet wound into left lung, but is doing well in the hospital.  TV has been all about the shooting by a young man ever since it happened about 3:45 PM."

I think the idea was to calm the public, reassuring them that all was well with the President.  The picture on the right is of John & Ruth 4 years earlier in 1977 in front of their car in Florida.

Tues., March 31, 1981
"I played bridge at Em Frost's - our 4-sum - this afternoon.  No luck, but a few good hands were fun for me.

Pres. Reagan's bullet was removed and is carrying on the office from the hospital room.  The culprit was caught immediately & the other victims are in various degrees of serious hurts."

Every once in a while Ruth's phrasing seems odd - such as the "serious hurts" sentence.  At this point she was 74, gradually moving into dementia.  Her handwriting began to change in 1982, another hint of what was to come.  In the picture, she and John are 70 and 77.

Wed., April 1, 1981
"Both Reagan and Brady (his Press head) are doing very well after the shooting.  The young man Hinkley is in custody.  He has wealthy parents to hire good lawyers.

J & I went to dentist for a check up & I had him (Dr. Faklis) grind down sharp back tooth.  That's all & no charge!  Letter from Marge Homer re: her Mom Bea - not good at all - a shame!"

Older than Ruth, Bea Newton was one of her closest friends when the Kelloggs lived in Oak Park.
These entries are not in Pieces of a Life.