The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1855-09-08
THE SUICIDE MANIA.

German Student on Staten Island-RO-
nance and Remorse, &c., Sc, Sc.
Yesterday gave brief sketch Of tragedy that had
been enacted in the BoTery, whereby two young beaut
full and gifted females together with the child Of one OF
them had come TO mournful and untlmely end. The
circumstances attending the death OF those girls are
attended with more OF romance, mystery and cruel
misery than any Of the many strange tragedies that are
constantly occurring in this great metropolis and which
it is our duty public journalists to record.
Some two years ago. two females named respectively
Cecilia and Wanda Stein and the child of the later-a
bright little boy five years Of age, named Eduard-hred
and occupied apartments at No. 1856 Bowery, rented
to them by Mr.. James Black, who also lived the
premises Cecilia the eldest, and though psssably
good looking, dark featured and had gloomy
troubled countenance. But Wanda beautiful
woman, with mild blonde features, and golden hair
clustering in many sunny rnglet around her sweet
face and which, when let down, would reach even to her
feet. But there mystery about the girls that the
landlord his good lady could not fathom. They
celved company save one male cousin, married
man, who assisted them when in extremity.
When they first came to the house, although
they educated girls, and could speak French, Ger
man and Polish, they knew but little English, and
could barely exchange the customary courteses with
the people of the house. Nor did they TO court
acquaintance but rather Stunned IT. and kept to them
SELVES. For time the girls lived very comfortably,
working at embroidery and fancy work for Bennett
Co. Of Boadway ana IN s % %ork G
most exousitey embroidered cloaks in the Crystal Pa
lace at the Great Exhibition and many Of our readers
with CT imson and gold These women possessed rare
talent for this the most artistic Of all female work yet
they died miseaby in garnet, and fearful fate because
| they could find no work to do. The company who EN-.
ployed them became bankrupt and unused to our Ian
Ere were reduced to the last extremity as they knew
not where to turn what to do to procure livelihood
For month back the landlord had noticed that the
promptly and with woinans love for display, dressed
well and neatly for well good dresses became Wandas
lord and told him that the months rent that was due
would be paid on the Tuesday following On Monday it
was observed that the girls were taking away bundles
| apparently cothing-from the house; and Tuesday
came, but with it no rent. In the evening Ceceia,
Wanda and the boy went out, all neatly dressed, with
asked his mother to buy bouquet Of flowers as they
came to the door, which She did They returned late,
and that evening the fatal deed done No sound OF
lic-no woman's voice childs prattle, heard in
| that little chamber all Tuesday night nor all day
Wednesday, the. following night for the dead were
| there alone
On Thursday morning Mr. Black G fearing al H. was as not Q;
right determined to open the door lie found the key IN
the lock inside, and pushing II out with wire opened
the door with skeleton key He passed quietly through
the outer paror, and gently opened the bedroom door,
whena horrible sight burst upon his view On the bed
lay the beautiful Wanda her head leaning sideways OIL tbs
pillow and the sunlight pouring through the open window
her face. clottod With ooze and blood that had
ssned from her nosrils and mouth The little boy lay
by her side with his baby face resting upon his hand
and smiling il he had been in pleasant sumber.
Cecilia the elder sister, lay the floor with her face
downward chair that had tipped over her back
The Mortified spectator rushed from the room and imme
diaely procured assistance and had the Coroner notified
From morning contemporary We learn some add
tiona facts with reference to the previous history
these women, which we will introduce here -
The mother Of Cecilia and Wanda was in the year 1922
lady in the train OF Princess Raczywel, of Poland.
She splendid woman but trail, and loved not
wisely, but too WE'LL and it was more than suspected
that she had laison with the Princehcr ladys hus
band. He to save her good name though she had
lost her jewel, married her 60 his coachman, man
named STEM who was but too happy have 50 beauula
\ wife. But his Joy changed TO trbulaton when she
gave birth to child altogether ahead Of time, and
which certainly none of his But he at length be
dren ali Of which were presumed to be his The first
child born Cecilia and in 1888 Wanda first saw light.
Stein, who was in the receipt Of sixty thalers per
month from the Prince, became disspated and drunken
and is dead Wanda grew up to be a beautiful
girl and entertaining the usual lax notions of morality
prevalent on the continent she at sixteen, with the
sent Of her mother lived WITH without being married. to
of the French Secretaries Of IAgatonat Berlin One
child the fruit of that illicit unionthe boy Eduard,
| whose fate we have mentioned
Louis Nnpoeon's coup d'aat sent the father of the
child exile to Switzerland from whence he wrote the
mother to follow him and he would marry her. She did
So but he refused TO fulfil his promise unless she turned
bsr IN the ' vn IF She soon returned home
with the child sadened with her lovers perfdy but
loving him STILL She determined to leave Europe and
shake its dust from her Feet and seek home in that
land of liberty far beyond the sea which her republican
lover had often fondy pictured her. With Cecilia and
her child she sailed from Hamburg and lnndcd in Sep
TENDER three years ago in New York They first lived
with cousinMr. Ludwig May-and afterwards in Mott
street Mr. May doing them many kindnesses up to the
very last They then moved to The Bowery The rest OF
the story has already been told.
rent would be ready by Tuesday the following letter
To LrDwe M-Deer sr-As we intend leave the States
by sending OF effects Europe Tor alter
IS @ na ans s' % % &c yG s
c r Msa yo p y K 'Pq n s ss %ee
Broadway and Church street II not there then fare
We S t'SF YORK ssal Sept. 3, 1865. 0A'''''
Mr May did not receive the in time TO be ready
give the signal TO Wanda did he extend the aid
they wanted in time to them. On Thursday night
the bodies of the dead conveyed 10 Potters Field
whore mother child and sister sleep that sleep that
| knows NaIng.H
Never has it been LOT to record story surrounded
by mourniul and romantic associations To think
that in great city like ours with all its stores of UNI
TOLD wealth and noble charities its Overlooking
and gued markets two gifted women should be driven
To poison themselves from poverty and despair! Had
those poor females had less dfidenee--had they been
willing TO live life Of shame-they might be hount
ing in silks and fare sumptuously every day. Yet, our
people should not be deemed careless Indifferent 10
actual suffering for though poverty as intense is felt
day by hundreds yet had the Of these unior
tunatc women been submitted to our benevolent citizens
they would have been sustained in the hour OF their
pair and strong arms would hay led and gentle voices
cheored them onward. Yet IL looks as though there is
something wrong IN social arrangements that wodh
| permit fatalities Of this kind to occur
| We have received the following letter from The lind
| lord Mr.. James Black
| mn EDITOR or IRE NEW YORK HERALD
| NEW York, September 3, 1855.
A. certain incorrect statements, and equally unfouud
ed inerences have appeared in this mornings papers
in reference to the double suicide committed at the
| house where ] reside, ! take the liberty of inform.
ing the public through You u the true state of the facts
while they may judge for themselves If either past pre-
sent poverty or great distress forced them 10 the
| commission Of the dreadful act.
About two years ago the Misses Stein hrei apartments
from me in this house The rent payable monthly ON or
/ y &C lrau tt,o
IN full mover asked them for It. months rent was
due the 1t instant On the 81 instant (Moniay) &c.
celia TO my wife, and said Il have the rem, for
you to-day; employer did not pay u.s. expect money
tomorrow, when you shall have itp My wife replied
very we'll This l. all ever we heard about their great
distress, poverty or being very much roduccl.fi
have been informed Of their history previous to com.
ing 90 my house by Mr.. May, distant relative of theirs
but shall not record here The following sketch Of it
since then, may satisfy tho curious, perhaps throw light
Of darkness on their ate--
Cecilia, then about thirty age was ranre sented