Category Archives: Suicidal Death!

Suicide by Water!

Evidently A Suicide

Leave a comment

1892 Morbid Scrapbook

 

EVIDENTLY A SUICIDE.

An Unknown Man Drowned in the Schuylkill, Below Girard Avenue.

An unknown man was drowned in the Schuylkill river, below Girard-avenue bridge, on Tuesday evening, and from the circumstances surrounding the case, it is supposed that he deliberately took his own life. The man threw off his clothing along the river drive and plunged into the water. After swimming to the middle of the river, he was heard moaning as if in distress, and immediately sank out of sight. Word was at once sent to Captain Chasteau, and he detailed Park Guard Glenn to make an investigation. Guard Glenn secured a boat and grappling irons, and after an hour’s search secured the body, and it was sent to the Morgue to await the action of the Coroner.

Deceased was about thirty-eight years old, six feet in height, and weighed one hundred and eighty pounds. He had dark clothing, which was left in the bank, consisted of a black derby hat, light brown striped coat, and vest made by G. L. Lutz, 1414 Ridge avenue; dark blue striped pantaloons, red and blue striped cheviot shirt and laced shoes. There was nothing in his pockets but a handkerchief, and nothing except the card of the maker of the clothing which would lead to his identity.

 

From the collection of The Comtesse DeSpair
The 1892 Morbid Scrapbook

 

Suicide by Rope!

Mysterious Tragedy In A Hotel

1 Comment

1892 Morbid Scrapbook – January 31, 1892

 

MYSTERIOUS TRAGEDY IN A HOTEL.

Special Dispatch to The North American.
NEW YORK, Jan. 31.—Two strange men entered the Hotel Zur Quelle, Broome and Elm streets, kept by Wendelin Gerlach, yesterday afternoon. Both were Germans, one about thirty-five years old and the other apparently about twenty. They had dinner and two glasses of beer. When they had finished they asked for a room, and were conducted to a back one on the third floor. The older man, who had paid for their dinners, paid $2.50 more for a week’s rent of the room. About three o’clock a chambermaid went to the room and saw the older man lying on the bed apparently asleep. She didn’t see the other man. At four o’clcok she went back and found the man hanging from a rope attached to the closet door. She gave the alarm and the man was found to be dead. The younger man has disappeared. There was nothing about the dead man to identify him.

 

Okay, shall we hypothesize on what happened? The older man met the younger man hustling on the streets. He offered to buy a dinner for the underfed younger man for the price of one night’s ecstasy at the Hotel Zur Quelle. After dinner, they retired to their room and performed various escapades with one another, then the younger man left, having paid off his debt. The older man lay there reflecting on his sad lot in life, the wife and family he had abandoned, and his overwhelming homosexual desires, which caused him immense guilt and remorse. He decided he had nothing to live for and hung himself with the nearest piece of cord.

How close do you suppose I am?

From the collection of The Comtesse DeSpair
The 1892 Morbid Scrapbook
Suicide by Rope!

Horrible Suicide

Leave a comment

Obituary, Norfolk, VA – June 4, 1869

In Monday’s issue we published a short paragraph in relation to the supposed suicide of an old man named JAMES WATTS, residing at Bowers’ Hill. He left his residence on Tuesday, 25th of May, with the avowed intention of committing suicide. He said the would neither shoot nor drown himself, but that he would take his life in some other manner. His friends did not regard the threat, as he was this suffering from a cancer in his face, and lameness in one of his feet, and they supposed it was merely the result of his bodily agony that caused him to make the remark. But his prolonged absence excited the fear that he had carried out what they at first regarded an unmeaning threat and they instituted immediate search for him. Their fears met a fearful realization. Yesterday morning his body was found in the swamp near Bowers’ Hill, suspended by a rope yarn, from the limb of a tree, horribly mutilated by birds of prey. He was found by Mr. Henry Hennicke, a county surveyor, who was untiring in his search for the missing man. He says the appearance of the body when found was truly awful and heart sickening. It was hanging about three feet from the ground, one foot missing and his jawbone entirely gone. Mr. Hennicke called the others engaged in the search to his assistance, who took the body of the unfortunate man down and carried it to his home, to await a coroner’s inquest. Mr. H. informs us that he passed the place where he found the body on Thursday morning last, and therefore thinks that he hung himself on Thursday night, and that the body had remained there since that time undiscovered. As before stated Mr. WATTS was suffering extreme bodily pain, and this caused him to violate the laws of his Maker, and take his own life. He was 65 years of age, and enjoyed the friendship of a number of persons in the section where he lived. Mr. WATTS leaves a family to mourn his unfortunate death. Mr. Hennicke was endeavoring yesterday to secure the services of a coroner, in order that an inquest might be held at once, and the body interred.

Donated by Cupid In Hell

Suicide by Rope!

Hanged In The Woods

Leave a comment

1892 Morbid Scrapbook

HANGED IN THE WOODS.

The Dead Body of an Unknown Man Found Near Crescentville.

The badly-decomposed body of a man was found yesterday hanging to a tree in a patch of woods near Crescentville. The police were notified and the body was removed to the Morgue to await identification. The body was that of a man about five feet six inches in height and weighing 150 pounds. It was dressed in a black serge sack coat and pantaloons, red striped shirt, black derby hat and Congress gaiters. In one of the pockets was a piece of paper bearing the address “1052 north Tenth street” and a shipping tag marked “James Moore, Sixteenth and Buttonwood streets,” was found inside of the hat. The body was suspended to a limb of the tree by a piece of rope, and the indications were that it was a case of suicide.

From the collection of The Comtesse DeSpair
The 1892 Morbid Scrapbook

Suicide by Poison!

Rough On Rats Again Condemned

Leave a comment

1892 Morbid Scrapbook

ROUGH ON RATS AGAIN CONDEMNED.

In the case of Elizabeth Concannon, an old woman residing at 716 Fowler street, who died at the German Hospital on Tuesday from the effects of taking rough on rats, the Coroner’s jury yesterday returned a verdict that the woman came to her death from arsenical poison, taken with suicidal intent. The jury also condemned the indiscriminate sale of rough on rats and other proprietary poisons.


From the collection of The Comtesse DeSpair

The 1892 Morbid Scrapbook
Suicide by Tool!

Suicide At Pottersville

Leave a comment

History of Callaway County, MO
Transcribed by Heather Patten, May, 2004

SUICIDE AT POTTERSVILLE.

To us, busy with the schemes and cares of this life, – so busy that we seldom allow ourselves to think that it must all end at last in death, – the desire to “shuffle off this mortal coil” before the death hour that stern fate has ordained for that dread event, is certain evidence of insanity. We can, perhaps, imagine that the aged, who have seen the companions of their youth fall off, one by one, by the wayside, until they seem almost alone in the world, and whose powers are wasted by disease, – we can, perhaps, imagine it possible for them to long for death. But to see one in the full flush of youthful manhood, untainted by disease, with health and energy and the bright promises of the future, beautiful as “apples of gold in pictures of silver,” such as ever flit before the vision of youth, – for such an one coolly and deliberately to resign it all, and descend willingly into that narrow grave whose very stillness makes our flesh creep, and whispers to us of horrible things – of the gloom, of corruption, of the worm, and of the awful uncertainty beyond, is bitterly incomprehensible.

Frank Shaier was one of these strange suicides. Several years ago, he left his friends in Germany, and having an uncle, Konstantine Shaier, living at Harrison, Ohio, he removed to that State. For some years he was employed in Cincinnati, driving a delivery wagon for a furniture house. He is said to have come to Missouri a year previous to his death, and to have worked the summer following his coming in the bottom opposite Claysville; and about seven weeks before his death he came into the Pottersville neighborhood, and began work at the pottery of the Caldwell Brothers. He was about twenty-four years of age, and impressed those who knew him, as a quiet, courteous, well-educated young man. He was industrious, and gave no evidence of derangement. He complained of pain in the head. On Wednesday before his death, he seems to have come to the conclusion to give up his life. Very quietly and very deliberately, though in a very bungling manner, he sought to accomplish his awful purpose. Going into a portion of the kiln where he would not be interrupted, he took off his apron, folded it up neatly, then removed his hat and laid both aside. With a stone hammer he commenced striking himself on the forehead, fracturing the bone and inflicting a ghastly wound. But this process was too tedious and painful; so, laying aside the hammer, he drew his knife and endeavored to cut into the wound and force the blade into the brain.

Failing in this, he stabbed himself several times. But fate seemed against him, for at every stroke the blade was stopped by a rib. Death seemed to avoid him. His patience was exhausted, and he gave up the attempt and came out of the kiln. Then a fellow saw him all mutilated and bloody. Others were called, and the would-be dead man was conveyed to his room. Drs. Brooks and Ramsey were summoned and dressed his wounds. They found the wound in the forehead three and a half inches long by two and a half across, and they removed from it several pieces of the skull bone. There were also severe gashes on the head, made by the knife, and several wounds in his side. The patient appeared to be perfectly rational, and said that every body was down on him, and he was tired of living. He survived until Saturday, the 21st instant, and then at mid-day, –

“One more unfortunate,

Weary of breath,

Rashly importunate,

Had gone to his death.”

The following is the verdict rendered by the coroner’s jury: –

State of Missouri, county of Callaway, ss:

An inquest at Pottersville, in the county of Callaway, on the 21st day of October, A. D., 1877, before me, R. R. Dunn, justice of the peace of said county, upon the view of Frank Shaier, then and there lying dead, A. J. Nichols, J. R. Ebersole, James R. Foster, R. Erwin, T. S. Dunn, R. T. Nichols, good and lawful men, householders of the township of Cedar, in the county aforesaid, who being sworn, and charged diligently to inquire, and true presentment make, how, and in what manner, and by whom, said Frank Shaier came to his death; upon their oaths, do here find that the said Frank Shaier came to his death by wounds inflicted with a stone hammer and knife, in his own hands. In witness whereof, as well the aforesaid coroner as the jurors aforesaid, have to this inquest put their names, at the place, and on the day and year aforesaid. R. R. Dunn, coroner; T. S. Dunn, J. Foster, A. J. Nichols, J. R. Ebersole, R. Erwin, Robert Nichols, jurors.


From the website History of Callaway County, MO

Transcribed by Heather Patten
Suicide by Tool!

Breaking His Own Skull

Leave a comment

New York Times – May 13, 1876

BREAKING HIS OWN SKULL.

A GERMAN POUNDS HIS HEAD WITH AN OILSTONE, AND THEN SEVERS THE RADIAL ARTERY WITH A CHISEL.

One of the most singular and determined cases of suicide recorded in this City was reported to the Coroners yesterday morning. The victim was George Renner, a young German cabinet-maker, twenty-eight years of age, who was employed in the Empire Woolen Manufactory, Twenty-ninth street and Seventh avenue, and who lived at No. 445 WestFiftieth street. He was a sober, industrious workman, and prudent in his expenditures, but had a morbidly sensitive organization. If anything went wrong, either in the shop or at home, he always imagined that others thought he was to blame, and the very slightest things of this kind so preyed upon his mind as to reduce him to the verge of insanity. About a week ago a chisel disappeared from the shop, and there being some little talk about it, Renner was convinced that he was suspected of having stolen it. He brooded over the matter for several days, until Thursday night, when he asked his wife out to take a walk. She consented, and they started toward the North River. On the way he told her that the men in the shop believed he had stolen a chisel, and proposed to her that they should both drown themselves in the river. Alarmed at his talk, she used all her powers of persuasion, and finally succeeded in getting him back to their rooms. There she left him for a moment while she went to find some one to send for a doctor. On her return she found him beating in his skull with an oil-stone. She tried to take the stone from him, but his strength, even then, was more than her own, and, finding that she could not wrest it from him, she rushed from the room for help. She was gone hardly more than a moment when she returned to find that he was past assistance. During her absence, determined to put an end to his life, he had placed his left hand on a table and with a chisel had severed the radial artery at the wrist and was fast bleeding to death. Physicians were summoned in great haste, but they were of no avail, for he expired in a few moments. An inquest was held yesterday by Coroner Ellinger, and, these facts having been established by the evidence, a verdict was rendered of suicide during a fit of temporary insanity.


Generously submitted by Caroline Bren.

 
Suicide by Fumes!

Lizzie Van Osten’s Child

Leave a comment

Philadelphia, PA – 1892 (?)



LIZZIE VAN OSTEN’S CHILD.

IT IS SAID THAT THE DEAD WOMAN HAD AN ADOPTED INFANT.

Her Father and Sisters Come to the City and Make Inquiries Regarding the Dead and Her Property—An Inquest Will Be Held To-day.

Bowed down with grief, John Montgomery, one of the most respected residents of Kennett Square, Chester county, came to this city yesterday, accompanied by two daughters, to take charge of the body of his daughter, Annie Montgomery, alias Lizzie Van Osten, who committed suicide by taking chloroform at the disreputable resort kept by her at 926 Mount Vernon street.

He called at the Coroner’s office yesterday afternoon in response to a dispatch from that official.

“I came to take Annie home with me,” was his first utterance.

Coroner Ashbridge did not know whom he meant at first, but when he learned the man’s name he led him back into his private office and there, as gently as he could told the father what he knew concerning the life and death of his daughter.

The old man groaned aloud when the Coroner told him some facts that reflected seriously on the woman’s character. “My Annie never did that; no, she could never have done that,” he said.

He listened attentively to the story of his wayward daughter’s life. He insisted upon being taken at once to the body of the suicide.

On arriving at the house, where an Eighth district officer had been on guard all night, the Coroner took Mr. Montgomery to the place where his daughter lay. The white spread was drawn back, and in the dim light could be seen the body of the suicide, a woman of medium height, with long auburn hair The long years of dissipation had not altogether obliterated the traces of beauty which had once made her the reigning queen of her native village.

It is supposed that the woman was married to a man named Graves, though this has not been positively ascertained. The father and two sisters of the woman are trying to find whether this is so. The initials on a wedding ring appear to bear out this theory.

Miss Montgomery had living with her for about a year a little baby, which it is said she had adopted. If it can be proven that this is the case the child will fall heir to about $20,000 worth of property the woman leaves. The child is being well taken care of.

Deputy Coroner Dugan is guarding with jealous care between four and five hundred letters he found on the premises. They are addressed to Mrs. Montgomery in the most endearing terms. The publication of the names of the writers would shock society and set the entire city talking. Many well-known men are represented in the correspondence.

“Did you read any of the letters?” was asked the Deputy Coroner.

“I read a few of them, and in no novel was there ever such love-sickening terms applied to any one as have been to this woman.”

“What’s going to become of the letters?”

The Deputy Coroner’s lower jaw fell. “I didn’t think of that,” he said. “I’m sure I’m not going to keep them. Why, I would rather have charge of so much gold than those letters.”

“Why would you?”

“Why would I? Do you know that it would ruin hundreds of peaceful, happy homes if those letters got before the public in any way. All I’ve got to say is that I think the men who wrote such letters are the most consummate fools on earth.”

An inquest will be held by the Coroner this morning.

 

Second Article – from the Steele Scrapbook:

SHE CHOSE A PAINLESS DEATH

Lizzie Van Osten, Proprietresss of a Lodging House on Mount Vernon Street, Takes Chloroform With Suicidal Intent.

Lieutenant Smith, of the Eighth district, was notified last night that Lizzie Van Osten, proprietress of a lodging house at 926 and 928 Mount Vernon street, had been found dead in bed. An investigation of the case was made, and it was found that the woman had committed suicide by drinking or inhaling chloroform.

Jacob Graham, a colored man employed in the house, says that shortly after noon yesterday the woman sent him to the drug store for twenty-five cents worth of chloroform, saying sh ewanted to use it for taking stains out of her carpet. When he returned and gave her the drug she went at once to her room. About eight o’clock last evening her room was visited for the purpose of ascertaining why she had not made her appearance, and she was found in bed in an unconscious condition.

Dr. Finn, of 627 north Tenth street, was hastily summoned, and on examining the woman, he pronounced her dead. Beneath her pillow was the chloroform bottle, from which the greater portion of the powerful anaesthetic had been taken, but whether it had been inhaled or drank it is impossible to determine until an autopsy is held.

The people in the house are unable to give any explanation of the motive for the act, as she had appeared to be in as good spirits as usual during the day, and she had no trouble of which any of her associates had any knowledge. Undertaker Good took charge of the body last night, and Dr. Sidebotham, Coroner’s physician, will make a post-mortem examination of the body to-day.

 

Follow-up Article:

LIZZIE VAN OSTEN’S SUICIDE.

THE CORONER INVESTIGATES THE CAUSE OF THE WOMAN’S DEATH.

The Body Sent to Kennett Square, Where It Will Be Buried To-day—The Little Girl Found in the House Is Not the Child of the Dead Woman—Those Letters She Received.

The closing chapter in the career of Annie E. Montgomery, better known as Lizzie Van Osten, was rehearsed yesterday afternoon at the Coroner’s investigation of the circumstances surrounding the suicide’s death. The hearing-room was crowded with former friends of the woman. John Montgomery, her father, a respected resident of Kennett Square, Chester county, and his two daughters were present. They evinced a deep interest in all the proceedings. Elizabeth Johnson, a colored domestic, held the baby found in the Van Osten house. It is a pretty little girl about two and a half years old, with a round, chubby face, large, expressive dark blue eyes and golden hair.

Mr. Montgomery was the first witness called. He testified that he had identified the body of the dead woman as that of his daughter. She was a single woman to the best of his knowledge. He had made careful inquiry and had no reason to believe that she was ever married.

Elizabeth Johnson was next called. She stated that she had been a domestic in the employ of Miss Van Osten since last November.

“Whose child is that?” inquired the Coroner.

“As far as I know it is Miss Van Osten’s,” was the reply.

“Did she tell you that it was?” continued the Coroner.

“Yes, sir.”

“Did she ever say it was an adopted child, and did she look after it?”

“She said it was hers, and she took very good care of it and looked after it herself. She always told me she was the mother.”

Continuing, the witness said that her mistress had been indisposed for several days. On Saturday evening two men called and she entertained them. That was the last time she left her room. She had been drinking beer.

“Was there a gentleman who was very intimate at the house who had stopped calling on Miss Van Osten?”

“I don’t know anything about that.”

The Coroner instructed the witness to take care of the child, as he would send for it.

John Graham, employed at the home, was called next, and testified that he was directed to purchase twenty-five cents worth of laudanum. He was told that it was to be used in removing some grease spots from a carpet. He did not remember that Miss Van Osten had been drinking, but related seeing several empty liquor and wine bottles in her room. Mary E. Davis, another domestic, gave similar testimony to that given by Elizabeth Johnson. F. B. Schriver, a clerk at Rumsey’s drug store, Tenth and Green streets, stated that Miss Van Osten had a standing prescription at the store for a mixture of bromide of soda. He had sold the chloroform to the servant.

Coroner Ashbridge said that the woman had been suffering from nervous prostration due to her excesses, and was consequently susceptible to the influence of the drug. A verdict of death due to inhaling chloroform was then rendered.

The Coroner told Mr. Montgomery that the next move he should make would be to take out letters of administration on the property his daughter left, and he should file a copy at the Coroner’s office, so that his daughter’s valuables, consisting of a gold watch and chain and several diamond rings and the deeds of the two properties she owned, 926-8 Mount Vernon street, could be turned over to him. It is likely that the gushing letters Miss Van Osten received will also be turned over to Mr. Montgomery.

Late in the afternoon the body of Miss Van Osten was shipped to her childhood home in Kennett Square, where it will be interred to-day in the family burial plot.

Regarding the baby Deputy Coroner Dugan has ascertained beyond a doubt that it is not the offspring of the Van Osten woman, but the illegitimate child of one of her former domestics, and was born in the Sheltering Arms. A number of persons have signified their willingness to adopt it. Mr. Montgomery stated that he would be willing to care for the child, but the members of his family request him not to do so.

 

Another Article (Lizzie was quite the sensation, can’t you tell?) – from the Steele Scrapbook:

WHY DID SHE KILL HERSELF?


THE MOUNT VERNON STREET WOMAN WHO USED CHLOROFORM.


She Was Annie Elizabeth Montgomery and Came From Chester County to This City Twenty Years Ago-Why She Left Her Home and How She Lived in Philadelphia.

The mystery surrounding the life and death of Elizabeth Van Osten, who committed suicide by taking chloroform, has been solved by Deputy Coroner Dugan. The woman’s real name is Annie Elizabeth Montgomery, and the story of her career is filled with pathos and sadness and disappointment.

Miss Montgomery’s childhood home was in the pretty town of Kennett Square, Chester county, where her parents now reside and are very well to do. Here twenty years ago she was the belle of the village, admired and loved by all. While her father and mother were members of the Society of Friends, she could not be held down to their good, old-fashioned notions, and every social event of the place found her among its leaders. The Friends’ meeting-house was too slow for her, and she attended the Presbyterian church, where her abilities as a musician were recognized, and she played the organ in the Sunday-school.

Though she had suitors by the score, she scorned them all for the attentions of the son of one of the wealthiest citizens of the town. He was seen with her on every occasion, and though she was warned that his morals were of very doubtful calibre, she continued in his company. Long rambles in the woods by day and strolls by moonlight followed. The wilful girl’s father would not permit the young man to enter his house, and could not persuade his daughter to abandon meeting him out.

Matters went on this way for a year or more. It was rumored that the two were to be married. Then the young fellow’s attentions to Miss Montgomery began to lag. He grew cold in his affections, and finally he refused to notice her.

Realizing that she had permitted unlawful relations to be sustained, Miss Montgomery broke down before her mother and told her the whole story of her disgrace. How under promise of marriage her lover had succeeded in accomplishing her ruin. Threats by the father and the tears and entreaties of the girl’s mother failed to induce the faithless lover to make good his promise. The story of the girl’s disgrace leaked out, and one day she left the town. That was the last heard of her there.

She came to Philadelphia, intending to live down the past and earn her own living. She changed her name, and her identity was soon entirely lost in the busy life of a great city. She hunted for employment, but was not successful in securing it. She fell into the hands of the vultures always on the lookout for such unfortunates as she, and before long the innocent, bright, happy girl of a year before was installed in a disreputable resort.

But the girl was too shrewd to remain in the place long and earn money for another at the expense of her health. She learned sufficient about the business and then set up a house for herself.

She became installed at 926 Mount Vernon street. Business became so brisk that the one house was found to be too small to accomodate her numerous visitors, and she purchased the property adjoining. Perhaps no similar house in the city was more extensively supported.

Regarding the cause of the suicide, Mr. Dugan stated that it was doubtless the result of remorse. She had been very melancholy of late, and had probably reflected long upon her early life and her final condition. An inquest will be held on Friday.

 

Well, I’m a bit confused about the date that should be ascribed to this one. You see, I bought a copy of a scrapbook that was advertised as “1892 Death Scrapbook”, so I had thought that the year should be given as 1892 (although, since it’s a clipping, there’s no way to confirm that). However, when I did a search on “Lizzie Van Osten” just for the heck of it to see if there was any information that could help me determine the date, the only links I found were to some clippings that Alf had posted from his “1885 Death Scrapbook” (aka “The Steele Scrapbook” – shown above). Since both of the scrapbooks were sold by the same person on Ebay, and were undoubtedly compiled by the same person in the 19th Century, it stands to reason that they may actually be from the same time… so… this one may require some research to determine when exactly Lizzie died. I did some research on Ancestry.Com and found that her “real”name of Annie Montgomery was listed in the Chester City, PA directory from 1888-89 and the Philadelphia City Directory in 1890… which makes me think that she must have died sometime after 1890. I’ll keep digging and hopefully figure out this mystery… If anyone out there lives in the Philadelphia or Kennett Square, PA areas and they want to do some research for me, it would be greatly appreciated!

 

From the collection of The Comtesse DeSpair

Suicide by Fumes!

He Tried To Die By Gas

Leave a comment

February 2, 1892


HE TRIED TO DIE BY GAS.

Stephen J. Thompson Loses at Horse-racing and Tires of Life—His Mother Goes to New York, Where the Deed Was Done.

Special Dispatch to The North American.
NEW YORK, Feb. 2.—At the Putnam House, Fourth avenue and Twenty-third street, last evening, a well-dressed young man registered as “J. Davis.” At 10 o’clock this morning he was called according to his order. He didn’t answer to the knocks at his door and it was broken open. The room was full of gas, and two burners were found turned on. The young man was lying in the bed unconscious. He was taken to Bellevue Hospital, where the physicians said he would recover. In the room were found two letters. One, dated February 1, 1892, was directed to Mrs. J. M. Thompson, 232 south Twenty-second street, Philadelphia. It reads: —

“MY DEAR MA — I can’t account for your not answering my letter. I am in an awful condition—walking the streets without a penny, with no overcoat and no place to sleep; and then my own mother will not help me. Well, I don’t think you will see me alive again if I can get something to put an end to all my trouble, for I am sick and tired of all this. If you care to keep me from doing this send me $10 or $15 by mail as soon as you get this, so I can get a room someplace for a week. If not I shall most surely carry out my plan. Then you will have no other person but yourself to blame. At this moment I am wild.”

The letter was unsigned. The envelope on the other letter was addressed to Miss A. C. O’Donnell, No. 85 Lexington avenue. On it was also written “My Sister” and “A Beauty.” It read: “I am walking through the streets with no place to lay my head, so for God’s sake do as I say. Send me enough money to get a bed with for the night. If possible send an answer soon.”

This letter was also unsigned. Mrs. O’Donnell when seen was greatly agitated, and though she denied that the young man was her brother seemed much concerned about him. It has been learned that the would-be suicide is Stephen J. Thompson, that his parents live in Philadelphia, are wealthy, and that he has an income of $3000 a year. Betting on horse races is said to have been the cause of his down-fall.

 

From the collection of The Comtesse DeSpair
(The 1892 Morbid Scrapbook)

Suicide by Fire!

A Horrible Method Of Suicide

Leave a comment

Steele Scrapbook – October 6, 1885

A Horrible Method of Suicide.

 

VERONA, N. Y., Oct. 6.—Last Saturday Miss Emma Faulkner, daughter of William Faulkner, of State Bridge, removed the burner from a large lamp and poured the lamp’s contents over her head and shoulders. She then set fire to herself and ran shrieking around the house. Mr. Lawrence, a neighbor, seeing her, ran to her assistance. After considerable difficulty the fire was extinguished, but not until nearly all Miss Faulkner’s clothing had been burned from her body. She died at 5 o’clock Sunday afternoon. She had attempted suicide before.

 

Stealthily Stolen From An Unconscious Alf