Delaware gazette. [volume] (Delaware, Ohio) 1855-1886, 1863-01-16
Tragedy at springfeld-The Victim from Della
ware County.
lFrOm the Springfield RepabHc of Jan. ]

Tragedy at springfeld-The Victim from Della
ware County.
EFrom the Springfield Republic of Jan. 81
About the middle Of the forenoon of We'd
nesday last, the rumor spread through town
that a young lady, sojourning at the American
Hote had committed suicide by shooting her
self through the head with pistol.
Upon a visit TO the Hotel we learned thai
the tragedy reported had taken place. Upon
the floor of a room, in the secoud story, lay
the body of "a woman, who had been instantly
killed by pistol shot. The ball entered her
right temple aud came out back of the left
temple.
Upon the north side Of the room hangs the
locking gluss. Apparently the unfortunate
woman stood with her face to the glass and
had fred TIE fatal shot with her right hand
She fell with her head toward the door, her
feet toward aud near the wall. When dscov-
cred pistol lay Oh her dress near her waist;
and her arms were thrown out nearly straight
from her body. She was neatly clad in lead
coloed MerinO dress, trimmed with velvet.
I So far as the circumstances are known, the
story of the young woman is as follows:
On Thursday evening of last weeIA Jan. Ist,
she came Oh the London train from ColRmbus.
She gave the omnibus driver card upon
which was written American Hotel, Spring
field, Ohio" She had no company at the hO-
tel until midnight on Saturday night, VIXEN
two men visited the Hotel aud inquired for a
young woman, whom Que Of them caIiad Ellen,
ant1 whom be described. He was taken to her
room. He called her and she recognized aud
admitted him. The next morning she told the
chambermaid he was her husband and asked
if he was not u good looking fellow. She said
her name was Mrs. Ellen Steward and that
she was from Summerford Madison county,
where her parents lived. She claimed TO have
been married several years. She spoke TO the
chambermaid several times about being in i'll
heahh.
On "Wednesday morning when the chamber
maid went TO her room, she complained of i'll
ness. and did not go to breakfast. Between
and o'clock letter was received for her and
sent to her room. About ten o'clock the
chambermaid went to her room and saw her
body lying upon. the floor as above described.
The men who came TO the hotel and euqu-
red tor Mrs Steward on Saturday plight, len
ON Moaday morning. They were dressed in
soldiers clothes, ami have been identified by
testimony before the Coroner as two members
of the Goth Regiment, named Samuel +. He'd
ges and Joseph w. Hit. The man said to be
Hedges is the one whom Mrs. Steward claim
ed us her husband. Hedges aud Hit are
Sergeanfs of the Goth Ohio Regiment, and
have now recruiting Office at UIbana. AS
sociated with them, according TO the Urbana
Citizen, are Sergeants at Woodstock and Me-
chauicsburg, and ore G. E. Butts, at Delaware.
The letter which the unfortunate woman
received on the morning of her untimely and
dreadful death, is as follows:
DELAWARE, Jar. 5th, 1868.
To Mrs. Nellie s c1card:
went TO Eden on Saturday and staid till
Monday. There were several persons spoke tc
me of you. Some thought you and Best had
gone off to get married, some thought you had
gone 10 get your weden clothes, some asked
Hardock about you and going off together.
l talked TO Hardock about you-he mentioned
it first. | told him you had gone to Columbus,
so you said-not telling him that l went with
you. Sam and all Of your folks think you are
dUu L tuluk SO now, anu
you know Nellie you should of told me, by all
means, and I would have advised you, and you
should Of told me that Best gave you money
and how you intended 10 do, now don't know
what to tell you, for don't know x
for if did l could probably tell you what to
do; you know Nellie that I would do all
could for you. Now Nellie as a friend, and
one that wants to see you get along well, L
would advise you to write 10 Best and tell him
that you had gone 10 Springfield, and ask him
TO meet you at Delaware and then marry him,
and you will come GU. all right-lor You are
in bad fix if that's SO, and if | could see you
now could tell you the awful existence that
you will be apt 70 drag out if you don't save
yourself before it gets too Iate-you may look
al it as a joke but | have seen too MANY Of
sIch cases, if you was not in such fix it
would he different, you could be gay and spend
your time to suit you, but you know am your
friend and would not advise you wrong, if Best
loves you which no doubt he does, he would
marry you when and where you say. wrote
to you Saturday and got no answer yet, Row
please answer ths-teli me the truth and how
you are getting along, and that you will do as
want you to. Answer Immediately. Much
love to you Nellie, from your old and true
friend CHARLIE.
Direct-C. z. Butts, box 467, Delaware,
Ohio.
P.s. If you are not Frank
or Sam would get you something
or let me know and l would tell you what to
get and how to take it. but for Gods sake
como and marry Pest ir pAa ran That would
make me feel good, for know you would be
out of trouble then, which is just commencing.
Yours Truly, CHARLIE.
N. b. If anything should turn up that you
should leave, let me know, and take care of
that shawl or leave it with Frank, if you don't
want to be bothered with it.
The Saturday letter, referred to in the fore
going, is as follows;
DEAR NELLIE 1 went to (here portion