from The Republican (Danville, Hendricks County, Indiana)--issue of November 26, 1908
Bessie, the 17-year old daughter of Mr. and Mrs. David Spicklemire of Pittsboro, died about seven o'clock last Monday morning of dropsy. The family of which she was member is very well known to many of our readers and most heartfelt sympathy is extended them in their hours of grief. Funeral services were held at 3 o'clock Wednesday.
from The Republican (Danville, Hendricks County, Indiana)--issue of December 3, 1908--page 1, column 6
TRAGEDY AT HER LIFE AND THE LESSON IT TEACHES
Perhaps the most trying hour in his long professional career fell to Dr. Hoadley, county health officer, last week when his duty called him to the house of mourning to investigate certain rumors that were afloat.
Pittsboro items in these columns last week noted the death of Bessie Spicklemire, a well know and popular young girl. The cause of death was given as dropsy and such was generally believed to have been true. But there were some who were doubtful and they reported there [sic] suspicions to Dr. Hurty, secretary of the state board of health. He referred the matter to Dr. Hoadley, who immediately went to Pittsboro and he reached the home just at the hour for the funeral.
He asked for Mrs. Spicklemire and had a talk with her. He told her there were rumors of the birth of a child and he asked to see the body of the child. Mrs. Spicklemire, bowed with the loss of her daughter, told him she had more than she could bear and asked him to wait until after the funeral. Dr. Hoadley consented and upon the return of the party from the cemetery again went to the house. Mrs. Spicklemire went out and soon returned with the body of a female child, covered with the earth which had been its shroud. For some three weeks the body had been hidden and decomposition had progressed until the skin slipped from the flesh. Dr. Hoadley made such an examination of the child's lungs as to satisfy him that in all probability it had never breathed.
Then the story came out about Bessie Spicklemire, not quite seventeen years of age, the child mother, beloved by so many in Pittsboro. Some six weeks before, her mother had called on a physician and described her daughter's symptoms indicating dropsy and the physician without seeing the patient had given medicine to relieve those symptoms. The days went by and Bessie became very ill and one night her mother wanted to call a physician but to do so she would have to leave the house to go to a neighbor's telephone. Bessie told her if she went to call help, she would kill herself while she was gone and that only her lifeless body would be there when her mother returned. The hours wore on and the child was born. It appeared to be lifeless small and immature and the mother buried it, not knowing that a burial permit was required. Bessie rallied and in time was able to be up and about the house. Then she had a relapse and medical aid was called too late. She died of blood poisoning. Dr. Hoadley reported the facts to Dr. Hurty. There was no evidence of any criminal act on the part of any one.
Thus another lesson of life is taught.
Submitted By: Mike Phillips, mphillips1@kc.rr.com