Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1871-11-14
The Leicist0m Tragedy.


with whom she lived for while. The
other, Anna Wood, lived at the Union
house, for awhile. We remember her
there rs little girl who was not fond of
work, and having ideas above her station
in life. Under right influences, both
girls might have been saved, and be.
come useful to society.
About II 80 o'clock p. NJ. Friday, Mr..
Cobb who lives on Court St. just at the
Auburn end of the bridge, looking from
the rear windows of his store and house,
saw two females, apparently young ladies,
sitting on the Auburn shore of the river,
on the very verge of West Pitch. Mr..
Cobb's daughter also noticed the girls
and thought it very strange that they
should be sitting so near very danger
Gus place. The more noticeable became
the fact, when she saw them jump up and
trip lightly and careleSsly down the
precipitous, rocky and slippery bank,
where they removed their outer garments.
Miss Cobb then said TO her father that
she believed they meditated drowning
themselves, ard so possessed with this
idea was she that she resolved to still
watch them and see what they were pro-
posing to do.
After removing their outer garments,
including their hats, she saw the girls re-
turn 10 the spot where they had been sit
TIM and resume their seats. She could
see that one had on scarlet dress, and
the other, dress in which there was
some scarlet, though not predominating,
so noticaby. In few moments, not far
from | o'clock, the train from Bangor
came laundering by, the track being but
two or three hundred feet from where
they sat. Miss Cobb says that while the
train was passing that point. she saw the
girls rise, each throw her arm around the
others waist, and in this embrace, they
with apparently one consent leaped from
the shore into the falls. Miss Cobb tnrned
10 her father: "Father-they have jumped
together into the falls" Mr.. Cobb, who
n moment before had seen them sitting
on the shore, looked at once out of the
window, commanding full view of the
scene No girls were. to be seen-noth-
ing but the garments they had left on the
shore.
II flt.afs
quality. yet apparently tidy. 1t was taken
II charge by officer Washburne, and left
at Mayor Ilttleheld's office for identified
tion.
An examination of the premises by Mr..
Cobb. who saw the movements of the
girls. aud BY one or two other gentlemen,
who noticed where they sat. but did not
happen L. see them when they took the
false leap, established that the two sui
CideS-aS they seeem 10 have leaped from
the point where they first sat down
threw themselves from the flat rock which
forms a level platform close 10 the waters
edge, near the foot OF the first descent OF
West Pitch. which, rs everybody here
abouts knows, consists of two tails. The
first is slight plunge upon a table rock;
then great cataract, with, at present,
fearful fall of water, rolling down into
chasm, many feet from the base Of the
first fall Here, just beyond the base OF
the first fall, they seem 10 have thrown
themselves into the river. IL must have
been a headlong leap with the current.
Miss Cobb saw them no more. They fell,
and were plunged into the torrent and
ont Of the world. in a moment.
Nothing has yet been seen OF the bodies
OF the suicides. More than likely they
may yet remain in the undertow OF West
Pitch, We remember several years since
that the body of boy drowned in same
locality. was not discovered till several
months after the event, but possibly the
eddieS and currents may throw ont the
bodies of the victims in this sad event.
Late in the afternoon Mrs. Starbird of
Auburn and others identified the clothing
left by the suicides on the West Pitch
stone, as belonging TO Ada Brown of
Buckfield, and Anna Wood of Hartford.
yonng girls each ii years of age. Miss
Starbrd says that both girls were at her
home on Hampshire st. Auburn, Thurs
day evening and appeared in excellent
L. Datn
Block on Thursday, where she had been
since Saturday. When she left she said
she was going to work in gentleman's
family in this city. The landlady paid
her So cts, her due. when she left. Ada
Brown has worked in the AndroScoggin
Mill aud has been of late ut No. Bates
corporation. While Miss Wood was at
No. 1. Ada Brown called frequently and
Miss Brown and herself went ont together
several evenings. Miss Brown came here
five weeks since. Her father, John Brown
is farmer residing in Buckfield.
There are slight proofs of the move
ments of the two girls on Friday morning.
Whenever they appear, they seem moody,
brOoding over their lot-apparently medi'
tatirg suicide one moment and house
work the neXt-Anna evidently the ruling
spirit of the two. both disheart ened-not
caring to 20 home, not liking the mill,
and finding homework burdensome.
At 8 O'Clock on Ash ST., they are seek
ing chloroform at the drug store, then
wandering through the streets. Soon
after noon they appear on the rocks be-
side West Pitch, where their moody and
morbid state of mind became wrought in
to insanity, and whence, doubtless in
rash moment, they plunged into the terri
HE fall and into terrible death.