Fannie Bass
Cincinnati Enquirer, 6 August 1915, page 11
NEWPORT
That Ellie White of Chicago, Ill. sister of Mrs. Fannie Bass, colored, who died at Speers Hospital Sunday of burns sustained when a lighted lamp exploded, had a premonition of her sisters death, was evidenced by a letter introduced yesterday by Coroner Digby at the hearing of Oscar Bass, who was arraigned in County Judge Boltz's Court on a charge of murder.
The police say that Bass threw the lamp at his wife following a quarrel at their house on West Fourth street, July 25. Bass claims that his wife upset the lamp and the flames communicated to her clothes. the letter follows:
"Dear Sister, I wrote you a letter and you wont write to me. Please write. I am worried to death about you. I dreamt I saw Oscar Bass killing you and you know now that worried me. So please write to me if it aint nothing but a postal card. Your sisters, Ellie"
Coroner Digby found the letter at the home of the death woman. Minnie Hall, colored, who lives in the rear of the Bass quarters on Fourth street, testified before Judge Boltz that Bass offered her $5 if she would secure him a witness who would say that his wife sustained the burns by upsetting a lamp.
After hearing from several witnesses Judge Boltz bound Bass over to the grand jury on a charge of murder without bond.