Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1871-09-06
SUICIDE OF A CANTARICE.
The Unfortunate Love Of Amelia
Garcia.
Few of OIJr tbaafra roinu paOp1a

UafcIl.
From the New Orleans Pcayune.
Few of our theatre going people but
will remember the beautiful Amelia
Garcia, who for three or four successive
seasons won unbounded applause Oh
the stage of our principle theatres.
Young, lovely, and accomplished, the
wonderful charm Of her voice was aug
mented by great personal attractions.
Gay, fascinating, and brilliant, she
won admirers by the score, and at one
time-in the height of her theatrical
fame-was the most sought after and
the acknowledged beauty of her pro-
have suddenly died without her death
being made known is surprising. Nor
viii the public surprise be lessened
when the fact is made known that she
died Giticide. Her death occurred
about two weeks since on Jackson
street near the corner of Annuciation,
where she has resided for over year
past. 1t viii be remembered that
| about two Years since she quit the
stage and retired to private life. She
had become passionately enamored of
a gentleman in this city, and for
his sake abandoned whatever
of fame and prospect of ad-
vanoement she had in her profession.
She occasionally appeared on the
| street, always radiant, always beauti-
ful, and whenever she came into the
theatres or public places of amusement
she was the oynosure Of all eyes. She
enjoyed this public manifestation of
admiration, and sustained it regallv.
Had she never been a famous singer.
Garcia would still have been admired
for her splendid beauty. But it began
to be whispered about that her life was
not happy. Society had it's observan-
ces that could not be neglected, and
the poor singer with oil her beauty,
could not retain an allegiance which
society demanded to be broken. The
conviction came upon her slowly, but
but 1t came at last. To one of her pas
8ionate nature there was nothing left
for her but to die. It would be wrong,
II 1t were possible, to lift the veil from
those last hours Of her life Convinced
that the happiness she had bartered SO
much to secure was slipping from her
grasp, and the cheerless future spread
ing dark before her, she resorted to
that Lethean cup, the poison of sui
eide, in which to drown the sense Of
her misery and the joyless life of de-
serted and abandoned woman. It is
said thst the morning (some two weeks
sirce) the final separation took place
when her friend said good-by for the
last time Garcia ordered her servant
to go to the drug store and fetch her
some laudunum.
The servant, suspectng her design,
refused to go. The command, repeat
ed still more imperatively, was disre-
garded, and the servant, with tears and
entreaties, besoughs her to refrain from
her wicked intentions. 1t had no effect
however, and she went herself for the
poison. On what pretext she obtain
ed it IS not known; bnt she did get it
and, having taken it, died from its ef-
fects. The residents in the neighbor-
hood say that about the time the poison
must have commenced it's fatal work,
she went and seated herself at the pi-
ano, and for more than an hour played
and sang. Her rich, thrilling voice,
rising TO it's full compass, reyelled in
the sweetest music they had ever heard.
Strains Of passionate sorrow mingled
with the sorrowful cadence Of funeral
dirge, as the dying cantatrlce sung her
life away. Amelia Garcia was about %
years Of age, and native of the West
Indies. Her father was a Spanish
Creole, and her mother Jewess, q na-
tive of Germany. Her parents came to
New York when she was quite young,
and she commenced her professional ca
reer IN that city. She sang one season
at the Academy of Music in this city,
and one or two engagements at other
theatres. She left the stage, however,
IN 1859, and has not since appeared,
professionally, IN public. Such, in
brief, was the careerof one Of the sweet
est singers and most beautiful women
Of tie age. Whether her life was good
or evil 1t behooyes not now to say. If
she was reckless, frivolous, and gay,
she had, at least, a passionate and low
ing nature, and died a suicide.