Phyllis
GRAMMAR Taken From River
Monday, June 3, 1911
The Republican Newspaper
Cape Girardeau, Missouri
Transcribed by: Kim Thorp
© 2006
Genealogy Trails
Phyllis GRAMMAR, the woman who disappeared from the levee front
house some few days ago, was taken from the river at Bird's Point, opposite
Cairo, Ill., Friday. The body was in such condition that there is an
apparent difference between the description furnished by the ferryman who
found it and the description known by the acquaintances of the woman in this
city.
The one difference which at first seemed to indicate that the
body was not that of Mrs. GRAMMAR was the age. Those who took the body from
the water estimated that the woman had been about 25 years of age. Mrs.
GRAMMAR is known to have been at least 40 and possibly 45 years of age,
although she looked younger. The influence of the water in puffing the face
and making it look younger is believed to have led the Mississippi County
authorities in deciding that she was about 25.
In all other respects, the identification marks tally with those
of Mrs. GRAMMAR. The body had long black hair, a shirt waist, a black
calico skirt, stockings but no shoes. These particulars coincide with those
of Mrs. GRAMMAR the day she disappeared. She had raven black hair which was
long and flowing. The waist and the skirt she wore around the house were
like those in the description and her stockings were missing from the room,
but her shoes were found at the bed side.
Mrs. GRAMMAR moved into the two-room apartment at the read of the
third floor building, 107 Water Street several weeks ago and her son Robert
lived with her. Shortly after moving there, she became ill and was confined
to her bed. Two other families living on the third floor saw her frequently
and knew that she was suffering and that she was keeping to her bed most of
the time. She had a slight attack of dropsy, from which she had suffered
before at times. Then her son was taken down ill and was forced to stay in
bed for several days. She got up at times and waited on him.
The family was apparently in very unfortunate circumstances and
the woman grieved considerably. The neighbors knew that she was despondent
and after she disappeared, her son, in speaking about her, said that she had
told him frequently that she felt like going to the river and jumping in and
ending her suffering.
Her threat was no idle vaporing of the half-ill or slightly
afflicted, but the neighbors say that they believe she was sincere when she
made it and really believe she was contemplating taking her life for
sometime. They are convinced that the body taken from the river opposite
Cairo was that of Mrs. GRAMMAR.
The morning she disappeared an inspection of her room was made by
her son. It was remarked then that the shoes were at the bedside while all
her other daily-worn clothing was gone. That seemed peculiar but the son
made no comment to his neighbors of any fear that his mother had jumped in
the river. He said that she had never gone off and left him before in that
manner and he could not understand her disappearance. No one thought at that
time that she had jumped into the river. No one saw her leaving the place
but she is known to have been in the place as late as 4 o'clock in the
morning. That was about two weeks ago.
The body was taken from the river Friday by B. F. Bennett, a
ferryman at Bird's Point. He heard at Cairo that a woman was missing from
this city and wrote to the police here, giving the description of the body.
he said that the body had been buried on the bank near where it was taken
from the water.
Mrs. GRAMMER was born and raised on the north of the county on
Indian Creek and later moved to Jackson and then to this city. She wandered
around at times, living in one place and then another. Since her
disappearance, her son is supposed to have gone to Caruthersville. A
daughter is the wife of Quincy GRAY of Illinois, formerly a policeman of
this city.