The Goldendale Sentinel, Goldendale, WA., April 30, 1936, page 1
FRANCES McCOY RAINEY A SUICIDE AT WISHRAM
Investigation of the supposed suicide of Mrs. Francis McCoy
Rainey at her home in Wishram Sunday evening is being pursued by Prosecuting
Attorney C. W. Ramsey, who took the dead woman's stomach to the Oregon Medical
School laboratory for analysis of its contents Tuesday.
Mrs. Rainey died in the presence of her husband, Everett
C. Rainey, who reported that she informed him of taking poison, but would
not state what kind. He attempted to give her mustard water as an emetic,
but declared that she would not swallow. She was dead upon his return from
the neighbors where he ran for aid. Rainey reported that he discovered his
wife upon the bed, fully clothed, when he entered the bedroom a short while
after he had spent some time on the porch reading a paper.
Officers could find no evidence of poison in the house
with the exception of a carton of rat poison. A report of the analysis is
expected today or tomorrow. It is understood that the unfortunate affair
climaxes domestic trouble.
The deceased woman is the daughter of J. H. McCoy, Sr.,
of Hartland, and was 39 years of age. Besides her husband and she leaves
a son, Wilbur, aged 20, and an adopted daughter, Elizabeth, aged 10. Funeral
services will be held at the Hartland Church at 1:30 p.m. Tuesday, followed
by interment in the Hartland cemetery.
The Klickitat County News, Goldendale, WA., April 30, 1936, page 1
WISHRAM LADY TAKES OWN LIFE
Mrs. Frances Rainey Leaves Host of Close Friends in Goldendale
Funeral rites for the late Mrs. E.C. (Francis McCoy)
Rainey, well-known Wishram resident, are being conducted this afternoon from
the Hartland church and interment will be in the Hartland cemetery.
Mrs. Rainey, resident of Wishram for many years and also
well known in Lyle, Hartland and Goldendale, took her own life late Sunday
evening. Details surrounding the death of the prominent lady were vague,
but officers piecing together bits of the story following her death, and
testimony taken at the inquest held soon afterward left no doubt as to manner
of demise.
Mrs. Rainey was said to have had moody periods in recent
weeks and it was felt that during one of these moments she drank the fatal
potion.
Mr. Rainey, for many years an employee of the S.P. &
S. railroad with headquarters in Wishram, was making ready to retire Sunday
evening after having spent some time reading on the porch of the family home.
He made his way to a bedroom where he found the prone
body of his wife. Sensing the seriousness of the situation he called a neighbor,
a nurse, and several others nearby. A call was placed immediately for a
Goldendale physician while the antidotes were administered.
The victim failed to respond to the treatment and when
medical aid arrived, she was pronounced dead. The community was stunned as
well as members of the family when word came of Mrs. Rainey's passing.
An obituary will be published in next week's edition.
The Klickitat County News, Goldendale, WA., April 30, 1936, page 12
WISHRAM LOCALITY LOSES MRS. RAINEY
Community Stunned by Sudden Loss of Valued Resident; Leaves Many Friends
WISHRAM - (Special to the News) - This community was shocked and grieved by the sudden death of Mrs. E.C. Rainey Sunday night. She had lived here for many years and had a host of friends. She leaves to mourn her loss, her parents, several brothers and sisters, her husband and son and daughter. Sincere sympathy is extended to all the family.
The Klickitat County News, Goldendale, WA., May 7, 1936, page 7
LAST RITE IN HELD FOR LADY
Mrs. Rainey Laid to Rest Thursday; Host of Friends Pay Tribute
Indicating the esteem in which Mrs. Frances P. Rainey
was held by her hundreds of friends, a large group gathered Thursday afternoon
at 1:30 at the Hartland church to pay tribute to her memory.
She had passed away the Sunday evening before at the
family home in Wishram. Funeral arrangements were made by Chapman's Funeral
Home and Rev. S.C. Eshelman of Centerville officiated at the service.
OBITUARY
Frances A. Rainey was born November 30, 1896, at Dufur,
Oregon. She attended school up to and including the eighth grade in that
Dufur public school, completing her education in the Hartland school, to
which district her parents moved. The deceased was united in marriage to
Mr. E.C. Rainey in 1913. To this union one son, Buster was born in in 1915.
Recently, Mr. and Mrs. Rainey adopted a 9-year-old girl
whom had been residing with the couple for some time. Mrs. Rainey had resided
in Wishram for 18 years where her husband headquartered as an employee of
the S.P. & S. railroad.
Mrs. Rainey passed away Sunday evening, April 26, at
9 o'clock.
Besides her husband, son and daughter, she leaves her
parents, Mr. and Mrs. J.H. McCoy, of Hartland; three brothers, Willis, Joe
and Ernest McCoy; and two sisters, Mrs. Dora Carter and Mrs. Naomi Charlton.
A host of friends residing in the entire county and Mid-Columbia district
mourn the passing of the beloved mother and daughter.
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