The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1862-01-03
A Young Girl Commits Suicide In the
Presence, and Dies In the Arms, of a
Lover who has Discarded Her.

committed suicide. The proceedings OF the
Coroner's jury in the case are published,
and show the sad circumstances which led
to the tragedy. The verdict reads
"That the said Alice r. Higgins had,
prior to her death aforesaid, formed mar
riage engagement with one Edward M.
Fitch, and which engagement continued up
to the night of her death, as aforesaid and
that, on the night of her death, as afore-
said, the said marriage engagement was
dissolved by the said Edward M. Fitch !;
and that, in consequence of the said disso.
luton, the said Alice r. Higgins did VOL
unfairly destroy herself in the manner and
form aforesaid, in the presence of the said
Edward M. Fitch"
The following is the testimony of Mr..
Fitch:
"Edaoard NJ. Fitch sworm.-Reside in
Auburn l saw Alice last night saw her
here; came here nearly at o'clock found
her here no one else here Il stayed here till
something after ten o'clock came here to
return the letters and also to tell her that
the news had heard would not allow me
to call again; told this to her told this
to her after l had been here some ten min.
utes. She knew that my errand last even
ing was to decide question she asked me
on Friday evening last. She told me that
1 must marry her this week, and if not she
would take her life. I returned her letters;
laid them on the table; had been CORES.
ponding with her some time; there was an
engagement existing between US. She told
me one evening, riding in hack, if would
not promise to marry her she would kill
herself !; this was last August.
"The week before last Friday, she threat.
ened to kill herself if did not marry her.
I had been in the room about twenty or
thirty minutes before I laid the letters on
the table; before doing this told her what
I said she said what I told her was false,
and said you'll know sometime what l
have said to you is true.' She seemed in
very good spirits when l first came in. Al
ter told her she cried and felt very badly.
She returned to me what she had belongs
ing to me, ring. l asked her for the let
tiers two months ago, and she returned
them to me at that time. rose up after /
put the letters on the table, and told her l
must go; she said, mo, you shant go :
she went to the outside door, locked it and
took the key out she came back into the
room and 1 asked her what she was going
to do; Sc replied, ooh, you will see.'
"Then talked with her, and 1 tried to
get her to let me 60; she said, am 60.
ing out in the other room, and wait till l
come back > she went out in little room
off from that room; she came cut with a
tumbler or goblet in her hand; she gave it
a twirl as if to shake up something that
was in it; she then raised it to her lips and
drank it; she brought in pitcher of water
and also goblet, and placed them there on
that side table. She walked up to me and
said, Ned, have taken it, l asked her
what she had taken, and she told me poison;
| then said, You can't fool me, there is no
poison about that she said it was; then
shs talked to me how much she loved me
in few minutes she began to be in pain
appeared so told her she was only play.
ing upon me.
In short time she began to moan;
then l asked her If should call Mrs. Finn;
she said no; she put her arms around my
neck and would not allow me to 60 to the
door and call Mrs. F.; Mrs. Finn came to
the matter was; she replied nothing; Mrs.
F. then asked her to come to her; she res
piled, No, shall mott then l called her;
she came into the room and told her that
Alice had told me that she had taken poi
son--that l had my doubts ABOUT it; Mrs.
Finn sat on the lounge and said oh, Alice,
you have ruined us and caused US great
deal of trouble Mrs. Finn then LETT the
room. Mr.. Firms mother came into the
room and came to Alice, and asked her
what was the matter; think she told her
nothing; she then sank upon the floor and
pulled me with her, and told me to kiss her
before she died.
IS She said, My tongue is getting thick
Il cannot talk and after few moments
Mr. Firms mother spoke of Mr.. Finn l
told her wodld go after him; then loos-
ened myself from her, took my hat and went
out; met Mr.. Finn on Clark street; be spoke
to me; I told him Alice had taken poison
and was dying; l turned and came back
with him; came into the house and it was
proposed by some to send for doctor; I
proposed to 60 and ask who I should call;
he told me he had just left DR.. Morris at
Pomeroy's; 1 went for him and returned
with him, and on our return found she was
dead. remained short time and went
out. .-
" During all this time she felt badly
cried; she put the key in her pocket and
kept her hand on it; she stopped here after
she locked the door about ten or fifteen min
utes. She asked me if would come to her
grave. All she said was in this strain she
was standing by me; ! can't say whether
that is the goblet or not; she didn't say
what was in the goblet, and didn't ask
her; she drank it in the other room, and not
where ! was; she then came in here and
brought with her pitcher; she drank some
OF the water; she said she had taken poi
son; don't know but I asked her what