This article was found in the October 21, 1915 Anaheim Gazette.
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MRS. ROBERT RIMPAU COMMITS
SUICIDE AFTER ATTENDING
DIVINE SERVICE SUNDAY
CORONER'S VERDICT IS THAT
UNFORTUNATE YOUNG WOMAN
WAS TEMPORARILY INSANE
Temporary insanity was the official verdict given by Coroner Winbigler as the cause of the suicide of Mrs. Enid
Rimpau, wife of Robert Rimpau, after his investigation of the matter Sunday night. Only her husband, Mr. and Mrs.
Adolph Rimpau, parents of Robert, Fred Rimpau and Dr. J. W. Truxaw were examined, but after hearing their
evidence no other reason could be assigned for the rash act.
Mrs. Rimpau ended her life by taking a dose of cyanide of potassium at her home on Zeyn Street shortly before ten
o'clock Sunday morning. She and her husband had attended services at St. Boniface Church in the morning, and left
the church together at nine o'clock. Mr. Rimpau remembered an errand and parted from her to attend to it while she
went to her home. He was absent only half an hour, but on his return found his wife struggling in the agonies of death.
A note which she left explained that she was taking her own life and hoped God would forgive her for the act.
The distracted husband hastily called several physicians on the phone. Dr. Truxaw arrived in a few minutes, but
found she was beyond the aid of medicine. He discovered a small vial containing a solution of cyanide. She had
swallowed a small portion of it, but there was still enough left in the vial to kill several people. Where she procured
the cyanide, and how long she had been in possession of it is a mystery. It is supposed that she had been concealing it
for a long time and had purchased it at some period for the purpose of self destruction. The body was removed to
Backs & Terry's undertaking establishment, where Coroner Winbigler held his investigation Sunday night.
Mrs. Rimpau was only 22 years of age. Before her marriage to Robert Rimpau she was Mrs. Enid Stone, but had
separated from her former husband, Charles Stone, of Long Beach, a year after her marriage to him. Parties who
knew them in Long Beach declare that she was justified in divorcing herself from him because of his intemperate
habits. She came to Anaheim two years ago and made her living by working in a millinery store and at Weber's book
store. By reason of her sunny disposition and pleasing manners she made friends of all whom she had dealings. She
and her affianced husband watched the building of their beautiful home on Zeyn Street for many months, and when it
was completed and ready for occupancy they were married, less than four months ago.
She had been clerking at the Weber store the past few weeks, telling her friends that she was lonesome at home, and
would rather be working than staying alone. Friends who saw her in the store Saturday night observed no difference
in her demeanor, and many who talked to her after the Sunday morning service declared that she was in her usual
spirits at the time, yet within an hour she was dead by her own hand.
Owing to the note which she wrote before swallowing the poison declaring her intention of destroying herself, the
coroner deemed it unnecessary to hold an inquest. It was a plain case of suicide, and no reason for the act was known
to anyone. Her friends state that for some weeks past she had at times been morbid and melancholy without any
known cause, consequently it is supposed that she was mentally unbalanced.
Mrs. Rimpau's father, W. S. Williams of Los Angeles, came down Sunday in response to a phone message. Her
without parental authority and it is said, her mother was never reconciled to the match. Mrs. Williams arrived here
Tuesday morning shortly before the hour set for the funeral, and was grief stricken at the fate which had overtaken
her daughter. She also resides in Los Angeles but is not living with her husband.
She gave way to her grief in a Center Street restaurant where she stopped for breakfast and considerably startled the
waiters until she told her name and explained her errand to Anaheim.
Mrs. Stone was forced to leave her husband within a year after marriage, and was granted a final decree of divorce
early last spring. She came to Anaheim two years ago and the friends with whom she lived declare that she was
always even tempered, independent and self-reliant, and had never showed any signs of a diseased mind.
Mr. Rimpau had been head clerk for the Miles Grocery company for some months past, but his connection with the
firm was severed Saturday night, and Moody Lyttle of Santa Ana has taken his place.
That Mrs. Rimpau had contemplated suicide is indicated by the statement of Al Nowotny, who is agent for a life
insurance company, and who was asked in Weber's book store on Friday last by Mrs. Rimpau whether his company .
paid a policy held by a suicide. Mr. Nowotny was in Weber's store soliciting insurance from an employee when Mrs.
Rimpau asked him the question. He informed her that his company did not pay this policy until the lapse of one year,
Rimpau asked him the question. He informed her that his company did not pay this policy until the lapse of one year,
and that the only amount paid by his company to a suicide the first year after death was the amount paid by the
suicide to the company.
House was crowded with friends of the unfortunate young woman, who has known her and esteemed her for her many
The funeral was held at St. Boniface church at half past nine o'clock Tuesday, Rev. Father Dubbel officiating. The
excellent qualities. There were many floral offerings both at the church and at the cemetery, and a long procession of
friends followed her to her last resting place. The remains were placed in a crypt of the mausoleum in the Anaheim
cemetery.
The knights of Columbus attended the funeral in a body, the pall bearers being from that order. They were C. O.
Servatius, L. B. Webber, Ben Dauser, E. E. Brus, Leo Sheridan and Al Erikson.
Tuesday morning, the body was taken to St. Boniface church, and was followed by many relatives and friends in
autos. The parents and brother of the unfortunate woman attended the funeral.