Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1869-06-21
Suicide of a Shaker Girl-The Body
Buried Hastily by the shak kers-The
Deceased Said to Have Had Vision
of smother Ann"


From the Hudson IN. " Register. june l2.l
Last Thursday we made brief mention
of the drowning of Shaker girl at New
Lebanon under circumstances which lead
to the belief that she committed suicide.
Our New Lebanon correspondent now
gives us such further particulars as he is
able to gather after the most diligent and
persistent inquiry. The Shakers are very
reticent in relation to the affair, and
seem inclined to keep the facts as much
to themselves as possible. 1t is known,
however, that last Saturday afternoon
boy, while strolling around pond in the
vicinity of the Shaker settlement, discov-
cred something unusual floating in the
water near the bank, and endeavored to
draw it to shore with stick. Upon see
ing that it was a corpse he gave the
alarm, and several men who were work
ing in the neighborhood came to the res
cue and drew the body from the water.
1t proved to be that of Mi,s Ann Calvert,
about twenty-one years OF age, who be-
longed to the Society of Shakers. The
appearance of the body showed that It
had been in the water not more than half
an hour. The Shakers took possession of
it. and the corpse was buried on Tuesday
without notifying the Coroner, or holding
an inquest. A Justice OF the Peace, we
believe, who is intimate with the Shakers,
was called to examine the body, but we
have have not learned that he made any
report. Our correspondent says it is
yery difficult to ascertain the real
cause of her death, and that there
are many conflicting reports. Some OF
the Shakers state that the girl had been
unwell for several days, and exhibited
symptoms of mental insanity; net feel
ing able to eat her dinner on Saturday, she
started out to take walk near the pond,
aud they express the opinion that she ac-
cidentally fell in. Others say that she
first struck herself on the head with a
hammer, and fell in the water, while 9TH
ers believe that she deliberately threw
herself into the pond in fiji of insanity.
This one fact is certain, that she died n
unnatural death; but in the absence OF a
coroner's investigation, the direct cause
remains a mystery. Deceased was OF
English parentage. All her family be-
longed to the Society of New Lebanon
Shakers, but her father and mother LETT
some years ago, taking with them some
of their children. Her father, we under
stand, died about year ago, and her
mother is now living somewhere in Mas
sachusetts, and is reported to be insane.
She now has sister and two
brothers still residing with the
Shakers. Her sister says that on
Sunday night she saw vision OF
"Mother Ann and conversed with her.
Tie spirit, she reports, told her that she
was tired Of this world, and deliberately
drowned herself; that now she was in
better world, and never felt so happy as
when she was under water. This iestil
mony, however, would hardly be admis-
sable to any sublunary tribunal, but we
| give it for what it is worth. As would be
naturally supposed, the citizens OF New
Lebanon, outside the Shaker settlement,
are very indignant that supposed sui
eide or murder should be committed In
their very midst, aud that the Coroner,
whose duty it is to investigate such mat
,ers and issue permit of burial, was not
even notified of the circumstance.