The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1871-03-16
SUICIDE FOR LOVE.
A Deserted Young Woman Swallows Strych.
nine and DIes-A TOuchlnK Letter.

Deserted Ionnx Woman Swallows Strych
From the ElRttrG Adcertisey, March IS.
Miss Della Benson, very 6ne-looking, intel
ligent, and estimable young lady, twenty-four
years of age, died in this city on Saturday after
| noon. Coroner Meisel investigated the cause
| of death, and found that 1t was caused by
| strychDine which she had taken with the inten-
| tion of destroying her life.
| From information obtained from her acquaint-
| ances, and letters addressed to her, which have
| been placed in our hands, it seems that Miss
| Benson and a Mr.. Ward Hodgkins, of Watkins,
| had for some time past been engaged to be mar
ried. This engagement is reported to have been
| cOnsummated year ago last July. Since that
| time the parties had corresponded very fire.
| quently and freely up to the time of Miss Ben
! sons death. For some unexplained reason
| Hodgkins seems to have changed his mind on
| the subject of fulfilling his marriage engage
ment. In his letters to Miss Benson he claims
to have experienced religion, within the past
! few weeks, but whether the change in his affec-
tions is attributable to such change of heart his
letters do not make plain.
Under date of February he says:-'I have
experienced religion and am trying TO do right.
have prayed over this all day, and shall still
continue to pray for you. As you won't release
me, will keep my word and marry you" This
letter is signed from your Ward"
The last letter which he wrote to her, and
which was received by Miss Benson on the
afternoon of her death, was as follows:-
"WATKINs, N: Y, March 8, 9,1sI1.-Della:-I thought
that wrote plain enough many times before have
asked you for my freedom number of times; but
as you desire it, / will answer planly-No. think
1t would be better for us both if would stop writ
ing. Please send me my letters and picture, and
viii return yours. That Jewelry that you said you
would never give up you can keep. l do not care
for it. From WARE"
Soon after receiving this letter Miss Benson
went to her room, and when she again made her
appearance she stated that she had taken
poison for the purpose of causing her death. No
remedies could save her life. She stated to the
doctor that she did not wish to live but that she
wished he could give her something to alleviate
her sufferings. She fingered in great agony for
nearly two hours, calling for "Ward," Ward" Z"
with her latest breath. On the table in her room
after her death was found the following letter.
'ELNuRA, March IL, 1s7l.-Darling Ward Your
answer received short time ago. You say you
think 1t would be better for to stop writing Per-
haps it would for you; there is no better for me.
Ward, this is the last letter you win ever get from
last letter you knew what you DONE / gave you
your choice you took 1t. Darling, how j wish
could see you once more before die. Yes, this day
VIII end my miserable life, hope. 1 don't want to
live now, since you have changed so much. Oh,
Ward, why did you do by me as you have would
have died sooner than would have caused you TO
suffer as you have me. Be sure before you ask
another TO be your wife that you love her. Do not
ruin her life as you have mine. After all you have
done, love you as well as ever. You ana your rela-
uVes can be happy now. You say you have done
Hght, 80, OF course, you will be happy. II yod want
your rings, you can come and take them on OF my
hand. My letters and picture you can burn. / am
too miserable to write MORE GOOD by, darling, for
ever. DELLA"
This letter was put in an envelope and directed
10 Mr. Hodgkins.