Date of Death: 20 Jun 1918
Source: Franklin Evening Star, Franklin, IN, Friday, Jun 21, 1918
Margaret McCaslin a Suicide.
Miss Margaret McCaslin ended
her life sometime Thursday by
hanging herself in the attic at her
farm home three miles southwest of
Franklin. Her body was discov-
ered late Thursday evening by Gil-
bert Luyster. her cousin and
guardian, who went to the McCaslin
home after receiving a strange let-
ter written by Miss McCaslin last
Sunday. In the letter Miss Mc-
Caslin said that she was planning
to end her life. She spoke of hav-
ing cleaned up the house, gave in-
structions regarding some personal
effects, asked that her chickens be
cared for and closed with the re-
quest that Mr. Luyster come to the
house as soon as he received the
letter. The letter was dated June
16. but Mr. Luyster did not receive
it until Thursday evening. He hur-
ried immediately to the McCaslin
farm and after making a thorough
search through the house, which he
found immaculately clean, he went
to the attic and discovered the life-
less body hanging from a rafter.
Inquiry among the neighbors
disclosed the fact that a boy had
seen Miss McCaslin early Thursday
morning, which indicates that she
either postponed mailing her letter
or had misdated it. She had been in
an impaired mental condition for
several years and recently, accord
-ing to the neighbors, had acted
strangely.
Dr. Carl Payne, who was called,
said the body probably had been
dead ten or eleven hours. Dr. L. C.
Bice, county coroner, also was no-
tified and his investigation showed
she had died by hanging herself.
Miss McCaslin was forty-three
years old and was born on the farm
where she died. She was the
daughter of Gilbert and Anna Mc-
Caslin, both of whom are dead. Her
mother died seven years ago, since
when she had lived as a recluse
on the farm. She was a niece of the
late John Ditmars and one of his
principal heirs. Two years ago
Gilbert Luyster was appointed as
guardian for her and last winter
she was at his home for several
weeks but grew restless and insisted
on returning to her own home to
live alone. She raised many chick-
ens and kept them in her own house
during the winter and early spring
months; She was eccentric but truly
kind hearted in every way.
She is survived by an aunt, Mrs.
Hattie Luyster, who is now living in
Chattanooga, Tenn.
The funeral services will be held
Saturday afternoon at 3 o'clock at
the home of Mr. and Mrs. Gilbert
Luyster and the services being con-
ducted by the Rev. R. P. Jones of
the Franklin Presbyterian church,
of which Miss McCaslin was a mem-
ber. Burial will be at Greenlawn
cemetery.
Second News Article
Source: Franklin Evening Star, Franklin, IN, Tuesday, Jun 25, 1918
Will of Maggie L. McCaslin.The will of Miss Maggie L. Mc- Caslin, who ended her life by hang -ing herself last week, has been filed for probate. By the terms of the will, which was executed Sept. 24, 1915, the estate, valued at $25,000, is to be divided equally between Mrs. Hattie Luyster, her aunt, who is to receive one-half, and the child -ren of a deceased aunt. Alma Mc- Caslin VanNuys, who are to share the other half. The latter heirs are Lowery VanNuys, James L. Van- Nuys, Ezra VanNuys, Olive VanNuys Oliver and Mary VanNuys Foster. The Union Trust company is named as executor of the estate.
Note: The people identified in the will are Harriet Ditmars McCaslin Luyster, and the children of her sister, Mary Alma McCaslin VanNuys, who are Walter Lowery VanNuys, James Edward VanNuys, Ezra Allen VanNuys, Alice VanNuys Oliver, and Mary VanNuys Fisher. The paper got some of the names wrong.Submitted by Lois Johnson
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