The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1871-11-23
Double Suicide in Lewiston, Me.


The Lewiston (Me.) Journal gives
some further particulars of the fearful
tragedy in that town. The details are
| as follows;
Friday morning gentleman noticed
| two girls sitting on one of the piles of
| boards in the rear of Lisbon street, Just
south of Ash street. Their conduct
seemed so moody and strange as to at
tract attention. They answer to the
description of Ada and Anna. When
these girls left their resting place on the
lumber they proceeded to Cooks drug
store, where the shorter of the two
J Anna, if she was either-inquired: "I
want some chloroform for girl that's
got the toothache down on the Bates
corporation"
"Would you like about half an ounce P"
inquired the clerk.
"Oh, no." replied the tall girl, "we
want a lot of it"
"We can't sell you over half an ounce"
replied the clerk.
The tall girl turned quickly, and with
pout of the lips said "Well, guess
we can get it somewhere else"
This was about 10 o'clock, three hours
before the suicides. The taller girl wore
heavy shawl when at Mr.. Cooks store.
Anna wore heavy shawl, and such a
shawl was left on the West Pitch shore.
MR.. AND MRS. sTARBIRD's STATEMENT.
We have already stated that the two
girls ate apparently their last meal at
Mrs. Starbird's, on Hampshire street,
Auburn. Mr.. and Mrs. s. make the fol-
lowing statements: They had known
Ada and Anna--Ada more than Anna.
Ada was Mrs. SIS cousin by marriage.
Ada, says Mrs. S, had brown hair,
brown eyes, very tall for one of
her age IA years.; quite smart. She
wore blue turban hat-that found on
the rocks identified as the same-a water
proof, light shawl-the same found on
the West Pitch shore-and dark print
dress. Anna Wood wore Thursday af-
ternoon a heavy shawl, black overskirt,
and red and white dress, with coarse
straw hat. Part of the outer-clothing
found on the rocks she identifies as An
mas. The two girls came to Mr.. SIS
house at 4:30 P. NJ, Thursday. They
seemed wearied, and said they had been
searching all day for work, without sue
cess. "I'm quite dead broke" said An
ma, and she showed two ten-cent bills as
much as to say, "that's my ALL" "The
two girls carried on very lively" says
Mrs. Starbird-meanlng they were un-
usually cheerful. At Mrs. Starbird's ur-
| gent invitation they remained to supper,
though Anna seemed 10th to stay. Both
ate heartily, and each poked fun at the
other for eating so much. "We shall
eat you out of house and home, if we
stay here long," said Anna. The two
girls spent nearly five hsurs at Mrs.
| Starbird's. "The last thought should
have had that these girls intended to kill
themselves" is Mrs. SIS deduction from
their gay bearing. Once in while
during the evening Anna made remarks
in laughing way like this: 1--WE
been coaxing Ada to jump into the canal
with me, but she says the water is too
cold" Anna said to Mrs. S.,-showing
her brooch she wore-the same found
on the shore" This is pin --- gave
me-" He was paying attention" to
her, they said. She was not engaged,
Anna said. "There," she interjected-it
being o'clock-"I promised to be at
my clearinghouse at half-past I; he
was going to call and see me; I guess
he will think I'm queer girl" Anoth-
er young man was spoken of as "Ada's
fellow young man now living in
Boston. Anna said during the evening
that she had been over to West Pitch.
In fine, the evenings gossip was pleas
ant, ordinary-with here and there a
word which, in the light of the suicides,
shows that Anna had meditated the act.
Mrs. S. could see that Anna had an al
most magnetic influence over Ada-she
seemed to be completely in her power.
Ada was the taller. Mr.. Brown adds
that Anna was only ID years of age-the
same age as Ada. Both were "very
good looking" Ada wore short hair /;
Anna long hair. The false hair left on
the shore was Anna's. At 9:l5 the girls
left Mrs. SIS. She urged them to remain,
but they declined, and went off appar-
emily very cheerful. Before leaving
Anna said to Mrs. Starbird in half
earnest md halfjocose tone: 81 wish
was married and had home and some
body to care for me-"
ADDITIONAL STATEMENTS.
Ada Browns elder sister, Ella, states
that Anna had an aunt who was said to
be insane" but think she makes it"
said Anna. Anna had said to Ella,
many times: 81 have no friends. or
home, and no one to care for me. I am
going to kill myself" Ella says: az
talked her off the notion of it, always"
Mrs. Starbird went into the Bates Mill
immediately after hearing of the tragedy,
and sought out Ella to inform her. As
soon as Ella saw her, she screamed 80,
my God don't tell me that's Ada" She
was quite frantic with grief 90 what
will my poor mother do ?" she said. "I
was just going to see who it were that
had drowned themselves. feared who
they were." She but just glanced at the
clothes the suicides left behind, and ut
tering shrek of horror, left the place.
81 cried all the forenoon" said Ella.
"Ada promised me, faithfully, she would
come over to the mill to see me at $50
o'clock, Friday morning. / knew she
was out of employment and had decided
to send her home in the afternoon. /
thought when she did come that some
thing dreadful was going to happen"
There are slight proofs of the movements
of the two girls on Friday morning.
Wherever they appear, they seem moody,
brooding over their lot-apparently
meditating suicide one moment and
hoasework the next-Anna evidently
the ruling spirit of the two, both dis
heartened-not caring to 60 home, not
liking the mill, and finding housework
burdensome. At 8 o'clock on Ash street
they are seeking chloroform at the drug