Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1866-12-12
THE WHEELING TRAGEDY.
A Young Mother Kills Her Babe and
Attempts Suicide-Her rIntended Post
nInrlem LelLerS. .------ 1

HIOrLem Letters. ....f ...-....,.. %.
At the Packer House. Wheeling, on
Wednesday evening, a married woman
named Nugent, from Marietta, OliiO, MUIR
dered her little girl, three years of age, and
afterwards attempted suicide by taking
poison. Mrs. Nugent is young woman OF
twenty-One years, and proceeded to the
murder of her little daughter with the
coolest deliberatiOn. She dressed the child
in her night clothes, placed her in bed,
o. kissed her several times, and then plunged
dagger into her body three times-twice
in the left lung and once in the heart. Mrs.
Nugent then took a dose of opium, and lay
down by her child to die. She either took
an overdose or not enough, and failed in
her purpose.
Before taking the poison, she wrote the
following letters: @ ..". ...5
"UNIoN HOUSE, WHEELING, WEST VA.
"MR. PROPRIETOR you discover
that have committed suicide, don't let
crowd of people full OF curiosity Into my
room to gaze upon my remains. wish to
be laid out decently, with plain coffin. Lay
my dead baby out too and place her beside
me, with her head upon my bosom, with
my arm around her, and lay us in our coffin,
for am tired and sick OF life. Be careful
of the packages left behind, and put one in
the office and give the other to an editor to
publish, if any one would be so kind. i
Shall like to be buried in the new cemetery
at Marietta, Ohio. Cursed be those who
fail to do this. Oh ! sir, pity me for Gods
sake, and do as bid you. | came here to
die. Remove nothing from my person that
l have placed there.
"Mrs. MINNIE NUGENT,
"Marietta, Washington Co.
"Cse the money left in my pocket-book
for my board.
'sBnrn up, my dirty clothes; never go
this dirty, but failed to get change when
l left.
address for the proprietor of the Union
Hotel, Wheeling, West Virginia"
sUNIoN HOTEL, WHEELING, WEST VA.
"MR. EDITOR:-No doubt you and Others
will shudder with horror when they hear
of the desperate deed which have com
mitted. The young and happy may shud--
der. but the heavy heart will think how sad
she must have been. Yes, very sad indeed.
| haven't Uime to say much. I've thought
of dying ever since l got married. My
mother, sister-in-law and brother are the
cause of nv death. Oh, / have many
friends to-day who would lay down their
lives for me-many who would suffer.
Many sad hearts there will be when they
hear | am dead. But, mother, | forgive
you; you drove me to this. You caused
all our family to mistreat me- without a
cause, but forgive you, and | want you to
be better woman before you die. You
will regret this forever. What clothing
| leave at home, burn up everything have
left. Jennie, too, don't hate me no more.
| God knows have always tried to do right
as near as | could, and beSeech those who
love me most deeply not to grieve, but to
be glad because Minnie is happy. Sister, |
want you to never cease praying for me
and others. / feel happy. feel that God
is near me. | meant to say great deal
more, but don't feel like writing. Some
how must die soon. A last and long good
bye. | have some enemies, but none who
will njure me, none who has attempted to.
don't want any one to grieve for me, but
have a request to make. Lizzie, help our
folks to lay aside hard thoughts, and say
nothing when | am gone, but try and do
bett er. might have been, and might be
happy; but they are the true cause of all
this. May God forgive them as L now do.
Goodbye once more.
Mrs. MINNIE NUGENT.
Marietta, Ohio"
''I want my friends to never cease pray
ing for me. Mary I can not call you sister),
cease to SANDER and lie on Inc when l am
gone, andI hope my brother Russell will
think of the insults andabuse he has shown
to me, and try and be better. forgive all.
| have committed this deed because mother
and father always hated me. I've thought
OF it for agreat many years. MINNIE.
II want to be buried in the new cemetery
at Marietta. Lizzie, see to this. Bury my
child in the same grave and same coffinp
Don't remove my body to my fathers house.
Take it right to the Baptist Church in
Marietta-bave funeral preached, and now
don't grieve. MINNIE"
Dear Mary-I will be dead before this
reaches you. Keep all have left at your
house. Remember me. | want them to
bring Jennie's remains and mine to Ma
rietta, and put them in the new cemetery.
Come to my grave sometimes. Give this
picture to -, for me, and tell nothing of
what tell you. Tell the rest to say moth
ing. My mother and father and Rus. are
the cause of this. Take picture to -
yourself, some day. Say good bye. Tell
him always to pray for Minnie, and be a
good boy. Forget me not. You can have
all my clothes if you want them. Twill
meet you all in heaven. Tell your mother
to pray for me often. .tl us
"Your true friend. .. MINNIE"
''Twas my intentionto kill myself when
| left you. That was why | left my clothes.
Oh! my God lam afraid twill Kill l-.
Comfort him for me. How would like to
kiss him before l 20, but we will all meet
again. Goodbye, my sister, and may God
forever bless you. Tell --- to keep this
for my sake, and kissit sometimes. Tell
- to come to my grave-to be good
to pray for me every night, and be better,
/ May God forever bless him. How love
him tonight, Tell him | never shall for
get when last we met. Don't think hard
Of me. Tell Lizzie not to grieve. I'll soon
be with Anna and brother Henry. How |
long to see them. Farewell, forever. Tell
--Pve constantly thought of him.
Tell 10 Jett goodbye, and tell them to
think of me kindly. Show this To-.
Plant q willow tree by my grave. See
that they bury me where tell them to, TOR
/ | can't rest contented here so far from my
old friends. 1t is so hardJto die among
strangers. Good-byel good-bye! good
bye! 4. p,