The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1868-02-07
A Strange Case of Hereditary Mania
for Self Murder.
Correspondence of the Beaver Dam Wis, Citi-
zen, %.


Correspondence of the Beaver Dam Wis, Citi-
zen, %.
Lowell Wis, Jan. Goth, 1865.
On Thursday last our neig hborhood was
startled by the news of the most shocking
suicide that ever occurred in our village.
The deceased was the wife of John Quinn,
VINO married her as his second wife last
Christmas. They had all the necessarleS
OF lite, and had commenced housek coping
ON their own farm, and to all appearances
long life OF happiness before them. Mr..
Quinn was engaged drawing wheat for me
to Juneau. On the morning previous to
the sad deed, Mr.. Quinn LETT his wife in
fine spirits, with his little GIRL. seven years
old, and he, my son and myself started to
juneau, each with load of wheat. The
little girl says her step mother immediately
commenced washing her feet, hands and
face, did up her work as usual, and then
sat down and wrote letter to her husband,
ard then told her little girl she did not feel
well, and was going into the bed room TO
lie down, kissed the girl, went into to the
bed room, told the girl to button the door
on the outside, and not to open it, and
when YOUR father comes tell him | am in
the bed room.
The little girl waited while, and feeling
lonely, asked her mother for pencil,
which was handed to her through a crevice
under the door, The girl saw it was bloody
but wiped it off, and used it a while, and
then fell asleep How long she slept she
does not know, but awoke by hearing
pounding and groans In the bed room.
The noise Immediately stopped. The girl
then cried Mother, mother" but no voice
answering The girl then ran to my house,
half a mile, aud told my wife her ma, she
thought, was dead. By this time my son
had got home from Juneau. He and my
wife were the first that entered the house,
opened the bed room, and found the de-
ceased with her throat cut, and dead. |
was soon there, and such spectacle may
my eyes never behold again. The room
and her person were covered with gore
Mr. Quinn soon after came home, and his
feelings at the time | am unable to por-
tray.
Drs. Miller and Brown were Immediately
called in, made an examination, found
razor under her, with the case lying on the
bed, in tie ROOM The bed was undisturb-
ed, and to all appearance she sat down on
the floor, with her back towards tho door,
and then committed the shocking deed A
letter was found on the bed, under the pill
low.
The deceased was an amiable young wo
man, daughter of Joseph Flint, of Lowell,
tEenty-three years of age, who had a large
circle of friends, who all attest her intrin-
sic merits Her funeral was attended yes
terday by the largest congregation | have
ever known in our town, on such an occa-
sion.
EDITORIAL POSTSCRIPT.
In addition to the lengthy particulars
given, we learn that Mrs. Quinn grand
father, grandmother, and an aunt, all died
by committing suicide. She was sntjcct to
spells of deep gloominess, low spirits, or
THE blues, as it is commonly called.
Many little details of her clothing, cook
ing, and household affairs, were found in
such condition as to indicate that she had
been several days engaged in making prep
ations for her death and funeral