New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1861-01-26
JOHN snIDEIL,
j. P, BENJAMIN.
JOHN N. LANDRuMS
Il! G.. DAVTuSG
Mysterious suicide a Youua r0dx

| & Y & l. ~ f
From tho South Band C1nd) Register Jan III
me citlzens of our town were painfully startled
" 9lhday evening last by the announcement that
Miss Julia Ann Stull, the youngest daughter of
hshry stull, Of this township, had committed sui
eide Ut the residence of her brothern-law j. hi
Studebaker, at this place. The circumstances of
the case, as near as we can gather them, are as
follcWs Miss Stall, who was in her 10th year, has
neen residing with her brother-in-law before men
toned during the fall and winter for the purpose Of
attending school in town. On Sunday forenoon
about II o'clock, Mfr. Studebaker and his wife left
to so on visit into the country and requested her
to go with them, but she declined saying she pre-
TERED remaining at home to read. They returned
about dusk, and found every door of the house
locked or fastened the inside, with the curtains
% 20 every window down, and appearances indica-
ted that the house had been deserted tor some
hours. They thought nothing Of this, supposing
she had gone over to Of the neighbors. After
bsing at home short time, Mrs. Stakeholder lit q
candle and went into the cellar for some purpose
and on descending the stairs met directly in front
lot her, and almost in contact with her. the mex
pressby shocking and appalling sight Of the dead
body OF her sister hanging suspended by the neck.
She had taken two towels, twisted them, placed |
one around her neck, and tying the ends together
with small cord, not forming slipping noese
then tying one end Of the other towel to the bride
Ing between the joists over head, and tying the
other end to the one around her neck, she then
apparently swung herself Off from one Of the steps
OF the stairs. Her neck was not dislocated nor
was she choked to death BY the tight compression
formed into slipping moose, and was quite loose
when she was taken down. She must have died
from slow strangulaton, caused by mere suspen-
sion, and from appearances, after violent and long
continued struggles The intense pain Of such 4
lingering and horrible death cannot easily be
imagined. Goroner's inquest was held, and a
verdict returned in accordance with the above
facts.
The motive that prompted her to commit the
rash act is shrouded in impenetrabe mystery.
Net the least clue has yet been discovered that
even suggests an explanation She was surround
ed by large circle of kind and affectonate rela-
tives, all well of, and all Of the highest respect
ability. She was herself of kind mild and rather
retiring disposition and has always sustained a
character above suspicion or reproach. 1t is not
known that she had the least cause for sorrow;
she never manifested any, and no young lady in
town apparently had brighter or happier pros
pect before her than she. She has ever been a
dutifu and afectionate daughter and sister in the
home and social circles she was universal favor
ite and was respected and admired by all who
knew her She was in apparent sound health,
both IN body and mind, and even when she was
left BY her sister and brother n-law on the fatal
day she seemed lively and cheerful. Her suicide,
under these circumstances, was startlingy unex-
pected.