The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1872-10-25
A Sad Family History.

Can't. Williams, of the New York po-
lice, recently learned that Ernestina
Loewenheim, n Jewess, fifty-four years
of age. of III Fourth avenue, had COM
mitted suicide by cutting her throat.
The officer went 10 the house and then
notified coroner Young, who held an in
quest.
Mrs. Loewenheim, with her daughter,
came to this country in 1866 after the
death of her husband, who died in one
of the insane asylums of Germany.
Previous to this the same incurable and
raving type of insanity had taken from
lrer two of her daughters. The loss OF
her husband and two daughters preyed
upon her mind and we'll nigh drove her
TO despair. On her arrival here she
watched over her remaining family
with an earnest and anxious sOlicitude,
hoping that the fell destroyer would not
blight her remaining daughters.
In 1870 Christina married gentle
man from san Francisco and removed
with him to California. Shortly after
ward her next oldest daughter, who was
the wife of Mr. Kann, an artist in this
city, died, leaving only Ida, the young
est, who was 4 beautiful girl of seven-
teen, possessed of all the refinement and
I
upon her by loving mother. On this
child all Mrs. LOewenheim's care and
anxiety centred.
Within the last two weeks, however,
Ida has shown unmistakable signs of
mental alteration. On making the dis
coyery her mother was overcome with
grief and well-nigh heart-broken. An
able physician was summoned, and all
that science could do for the unfortun-
ate young lady was done to ward off the
terrible scOurge. On Wednesday, she
appeared to be entirely recovered, and
cOnversed with her friends and relatives
in a perfectly rational manner.
Yesterday n letter was received by
| the family from the brOther-in-law in
! San Francisco, which, il is said con-
tanned the sorrowful information that
/ Christina had also fallen a victim to
/ hopeless insanity. This sad intelligence
was by some means conveyed to her
sister Ida, and in two hours after the de-
spairing mother saw her only remain
/ ing child raving maniac There were
no premOnitory symptoms of Ida's mad
ness, which in an incredibly short time
/ became so violent that aid had to be
summoned to control her. Her med
/ ical attendant was called, and at once
. y
/ to an insane asslum. \ coach was en-
gagged and preparations hastily made
| for her departure. On realizing that
her daughter must be taken away, Mrs.
/ Loewenheim became frantic with grief,
declaring that she could not survive the
event.
Mrs. Stedroth, residing in the same
/ building, assisted in arranging for the
departure of the insane girl, and endeav-
Ored to console the mother. When
everything had been got ready to start
for BlOOmingdale, Mrs. StedrOth retired
to speak parting word with the sor-
rowing mother. No one in the house
suspected that Mrs. LOewenheim haC
any intention TO commit suicide, al
though she said she wished she wa:
dead
When her friend was about to leave
she arose from her seat and entered th'
bathroom. Something peculiar in he
look attracted Mrs. StedrOth's attention
: and, with an underlined fear, she followed
She had barely opened the door whel
she saw Mrs. LOewenheim fall to th
floor bleeding from a terrible cut in lie
/. throat. y physician was called, an
, the wound was pronounced mOrta
She died in ten minutes. The cut wa
. inflicted with Il carving knife, whic
; was found on the floor of the bathroom
, and which Mrs. Loewenheim must hav
had concealed about her.
The daughter was taken to the Bloom
r ingdale Asylum for the insane, wheI
. she remains in ignorance of the fate
, her mother.