The Conservative. (M'connelsville, Ohio) 1866-1871, 1871-03-03
WAGES OF SIN.
A Sac Story OF shame and Suicide.
From the Cincinnati Gazette, 10TH

A SAD SsOry OF Sn8me ana Su1c1Qo.
From the Cincinnati Gazette, 10TH
On the morning of January 25th, at
about four O'Clock, a young German
girl, twenty years of age, presented
herself at the Cincinnati hospital, and
desired admission, saying she would
like q private room. She was furnish
ed with the accommodation she asked.
She gave her name as Mary Rathburn.
Almost Immediately after her admis-
sion she gave birth to a healthy male
child. During the forenoon of the
same day, Joseph Korn, a grocer, 163
Pleasant street, IN whose employ she
had been for four years, visited the
hospital and made some provisions for
her comfort. The mother and child
were attended by DR.. W. H. Taylor,
and both seemed to be doing well. She
begged, howeve, most earnestly that
the birth of the child might be kept
secret. She appeared to suffer great
mental anguish, and at length, at her
earnest request, the child was given
away to a respectable family who wish
ed to adopt an infant; and it is now, it
is said, in good hands. After the child
was gone she seemed to experience
some relief.
A few days after the event the father
of the girl, who lived in Indiana, ac-
companied by two or three female re-
~latives, presented themselves at the
hospital and inquired for Gertrude
Roth. Col. Jones, from whom this
statement is chiefly obtained, at first
replied tha5 no such patient was in the
hospital. Further inquiry, however,
revealed the fact that Mary Rathburn
was an alias, and the visitors were adj
mitted to the sick room. While there
Dr.. Sawyer, one of the attendant ply
sicians, who was aware of the birth of
the child, but had not been advised of
its removal, In passing the room saw
the strangers there. Knowing the dam
ger of excitement to a woman in Miss
Roth's condition, he inquired of them
their business there. They explained
their relationship to the patient, and
asked him what was the matter with
her. The good doctor, ignorant of the
circumstances, blurted out that she had
been delivered of a child. The wo-
men were ~inexpressibly shocked at this
revelation, and seemed at first incredu-
lous. But the doctor, to substantiate
his statement, went to the bed and
threw back the blankets, saying, "Here
it Isl" but to his establishment it was
not there.
After this episode, however, the fact
couldnotlonger be concealed. Miss Roth
remained at the hospital until yester-
day, though she several times express
ed a desire to leave, but wa dissuaded
by her attending physician, who told
her that she was not yet sufficiently re-
covered to take the risk of removal
Last Wednesday afternoon a woman
presented herself at the pospital, who
claimed to be the mother of Miss Roth,
and ask to see her. Col. Jones inform
ed her hat if she would bring Mr.. Korn
to identify her she would be admitted
to the presence of her daughter. She
went away, and abont eight O'Clock in
the evening returned with another wo-
man, saying that Mr.. Korn was busy
and could not come. Col. Jones, fear
ing the eject upon the patient of an in
teryiew with her mother, told her that
it YVES then too late, but if she would
return in the morning she should see
her.
The next morning before the mother
appeared Col. Jones told Gertrude that
her mother had been there, and would
be back in the morning, and asked if
she would see her as soon as she came.
Gertrude replied with much earnest
ness: sob no !; I would rather go
home and see her there" The super
intendent passed down to his Office,
where one of the trustees of the hos
pital was waiting for him, and they en-
gagged In conversation. In about half
an hour, or about nine O'Clock, Ger
trude appeared, dressed for the street,
and stated that she was going to leave.
Col Jones told her she wa not able to
walk, and he would send her home.
This she declined. He then offered
her a street car ticket, telling her she
could take the John street line, and
thus save herself a long walk. This,
also, she declined, and left the hospital
on foot. Her manner during this in
terview was perfectly composed, and
nothing indicated that she meditated
the fatal step, upon which she must
then have been resolved.
Two hours later her body was found
in the canal by some coopers at work
at No. Al Brown street. The coroner
was at once notified, and proceeded to
on inouact