The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1867-10-31
The Suicide at PhillipSburg, N. ].


in our last weeks paper We published,
from one of our exchanges, an account OF the
melancholy suicide of Mrs Lizzie Smith,
nee IIollenbach. A friend who knows all
about the young Lady and her family, as
sures u. that the article does great injustice
to the parents of the deceased, and is not
founded on the facts of The case. We,
therefore, the more checrfully give place to
the following:
The deceased, who formerly lived at
Springvile, Susquehanna county, Pa made
her home with her father until the death of
her mother, which occurred On The 5th Of
July. lS65, and, unbekuown to him, held
correspondence with Smith, which finally
led 10 the abandoning Of :he home of her
childhood and her paternal protector. This.
through tie influence of human fiende, both
malc and female, was kept from her fathers
knowledge. On the 9th of September, 1865,
she went TO Scranton, 10 visit her cousin, a.
Mrs. Taylor, and while there was married
40 Smith. From Scranton Smith and his
wife went 10 Lock Haven, where they 'ap-
pcared 10 live happily, as letters from Smith
10 her father, asking forgiveness for any
seeming disrespeci," would show But it ap-
gears that their happiness was of short du-
ration, fer another woman claimed Smith a
her licge lord, and Lizzie, as wife No. 9,
thrust out "in the cold" This separa-
fion did pof roroa TO bar
until about year after it occurred, when, in
d letter from Clark's Green, she told him The
wbo,e story. He went to see her al once.
and endeavored TO reconcile her to her situ-
alton by giving her assurances of home
with him, when she was unable 10 DO without
,r st any time she wished She had no step
mother until the 10Th OF May, 1866, and in
the September following spent two or three
weeks at her fathers, and at Springville,
when, as he supposed she went to Smiths
home. In April last she visited her father
agaiu, after staying a while went TO Benton,
and from thence TO Waymart, 10 Wayne
County. She visited her fathers again on
Saturday, the 30lh of September. took din
ner, did some washing, and sa id she was 60
ing to help Mrs. Warner DO some sewing.
She then went to the Depot, as she said. to
SEED some things to Scranton, but did not
return. In letter to her father, dated Oak
land, September Both, 1867, she says:
"The reason l did not tell you when II
was going, did not know myself. Often
when | have been dlscOura red and "a Utmost
insane, | would think of suicide. Then the
thought of the trouble you have had, and tha
you would miss me if | was gone, kept me
from it. ] viii do the best can, but will
own that life is burden TO me- ! shall al |
ways be glad to hear from you. I'll do the
beet can. disobeyed YOU, and am
now reaping my reward If my punishment
is Just | will try and bear it. Don't write
until you hear from me again.
Your afectionate daughter
LIZZIE"
This letter was found in her trunk after
her death, unfolded In letter to friend
also uniolded, she says:
81 do not think be was worthy the love
gave him, and do hope shall not be fool
enough to attempt TO Kill myself again.
The reader will see from this the real
causes which prompted the terrible deed
and the fact that she was subject to periodi-
cal fits, which she often said "made her al.
most crazy" unfolds TO our mind the meIan.
cholly fact that she was laboring under tem-
perary insanity, or alteration Of mind.
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