Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1853-09-01
The Manchester Suicide.

From Tue Manchester (S. ~ Daily Mirror, Aug 10.
AT about 3 o'clock last evening Sunday, Aug.
Ii, two young ladies, operatives in the mill,
committed suicide by drowning; the particulars
of which, so far as we have been able to gather,
are as follows
One OF them was Miss Catherine b. Cotton,
OF POwnal, Me, aged %; the other Miss Clara
{. Cochran, aged 10, native of New Boston,
but who lately had home with a brother at
Hopkinton. They roomed together at No u,
Manchester Corporation, this city, and have fire.
quently expressed purpose to drown them
selves but their friends had no apprehension
that such was their design. Fora few days pre-
yIous, they had talked freely Of so doing, and
communicated their intention to a roommate,
but still without creating any alarm. AS they
Jeff their boarding house late in the evening,
however, the lady foomlng with them followed
and watched them. They proceeded hand-in-
hand, and with great apparent cheenulness 10
the bridge crossing the upper canal, leading to
the Manchester Mills stopped together upon
stone wall OF the canal Just above the bridge, and
together lenped into the water. The act was
seen by one or two persons, and alarm was in
stantly given, though ten minutes escaped be-
fore either was taken out. In that time the boz
dy of Miss Cotton was rec9vered--that Of Miss
Cochran, having tloated down the canal was not
recovered for some time after. All efforts to re-
suscitatc them failed. Miss Cochran for some
days previous had been very much depressed and
low spirited
Their whole proceedings were marked by
great GOODNESS and dehbcrutlon. Both of them
left letters to their friends, announcing their pur-
pose, and giving directions in regard TO the
settlement oil their affairs and the disposal of
their effects. Miss Cochran, we understand,
was to come in possession Of several thousand
dollars at u years of aye. Various rumors are
afoat in regard to the cause OF this rash act
From all we can learn II Is TO be ascribed in
both cases to the grief of disappointed love.
Below we insert the letter of Miss Cochran to
her sister at hopklnton, written Just before her
untimely deceOse, and carefully placed in her
trunk:
MANCHESTER, Aug. II, 1853.
DEAR SISTER; ! received your letter last
Wednesday, and |, contrary to your custom, an
swered it the first opportunity. Though knew
it was hAyng time, and, OF course, you would
have great deal to do, still | felt provoked at
your silence. You and Aunt Achsah are my
only regular correspondents, but now and then
answer one OF the many letters that receive
Il is only 6o'clock A. NJ, and have began IN
good season so as to write to you and to Jesse
to-day. Am glad to hear that Lousla Is with
you, for little help is better than none AS for
visiting you, probably never shall meet you H.
gam IN life; ere you receive this, shall be in
the silent realms of the DEAD! Start not. dear
Annie, nor shudder, for what use can there be in
dragging out wearisome life, deprived of all
enjoyment? am only burden TO myself and
every one else who interest themselves in my
welfare Give my love TO Joseph TO Martha,
and TO all who care for me, or pretend to. Bury
me IN Vermont, by by the side Of mother, and
have money enough TO pay all funeral expenses
| owe Mrs. Maria Foss, my room mate, 50, Mrs
Jacobs : ,25, aud SO for my board, and there is
over SO due me at the Amoskeag Counting
Room. If there is any thing left of my money
after paying my funeral expenses, which | want
10 be "a cheap as possible, and paying my debts,
send II together with his letters (which you will
find IN my pocketl TO John IL. Sherwin, No. 40
Fulton-sn, New.York.
Jesse and Joseph are probably well enough of
already, and If ! could aid John by few dollars,
1t might do some good. copy o. Shakespeare
which have lent John Jacobs, l. should like to
have !. H. s. have, the rest, my clothes and other
things, you may divide as you see tit
! And now, good bye mourn not for me, friends :
I tell Jesse | would like to see him once more De-
/ fore die, but that cannot be.
Farewell forever. CLARA c. COCHRAN.
/ To Mrs. Ann M. Cochran, llopkinton, n. IL.
! Forward quickly for II tells Of death
/ The following was written upon the opposite
sheet the letter by Miss Cochran, and evident
/ Iy inte lded for the eys~of her lover;
AND NOW DEAREST: | must write you few
lines, though ere you receive them, the hand
that penned them will be cold in death. DO not
think of me with regret, for It's better that it
should be so.
. one more unfortunate weary VI bfeaIh,
hasAly imPoitunato, gone 10 her death"
| forgive all who have injured me, and crave
for forgiveness Of you, If have erred, and |
know | have. be happy and forget me not:
Even if you ever marry, still twill not be wicked
to cast thought on me, and no one would love
you the less for IT, shall, | hope, be burned IN
Vermont, by the side OF my mother. Farewell
She also inclosed in her letter scraps Of poetry