The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1872-07-15
Suicide of a Young Lady at Ravens.
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From the RaysnswoOd News)
On the morning Of the 9th inst, this
community was startled by the announce
ment that Miss Nancy Somerville, ahigh.
" respected young lady Of this place, was
missing from her boarding house, and II
was supposed by the family that she had
committed suicide. The facts in the case
are, as near as we can learn, about as FOL.
lows; Miss Somerville retired TO bed tho
evening previous, about the usual hour,
somewhat depressed in spirits, so much so
that the lady who slept In the same room
asked her Il there was anything the mat.
ter-it she was homesick, to which she
replied that she was not. In Q short time
the lady again asked her Il there was not
something the matter, and II there was to
tell her, and she again said there was not,
and wished TO know Of the lady what
made her think so. Alter this converse.
tion there was nothing more said, and the
lady in question fell asleep. About 9
o'clock A. NJ. one Of the children awoke
her and she called Miss Somervillc sew.
eral times, but receiving no answer got up
and went to her bed and found that she
was gone. The window was up, and
she had made her escape through
It. The rest Of the family were
Immediately aroused, one OF whom
went to the bed in. which Miss
somerville had been sleeping and found
on the pillow several letters and pocket
book; the letters were opened and the
mysterious disappearance OF the young
lady at the dead hour Of midaight was at
once revealed. In the letters she stated
that she intended to drown herself, and
that her body would be found next morn.
ing near the wharEboat; and also stated
that she had laid out the clothing in which
she wished to be buried; and that she had
LEFT the rest Of her clothing TO her two
sisters, naming what each was TO have.
The clothing was found as stated in the
letters. Early Friday morning q large
number Of our citizens assembled at the
river to search for the body. A mote was
found on the abutment Immediately above
the wharf.boat, the contents Of which are
as follows:
"Take good care of me until Father can
get here; | have written to them and it
will go down to-day; and send word on the
boat, ifyou please. Respectfully yours,
'NAN. SoMERvILLE."
This note, when picked up, was damp,
and it was evident that it had been dipped
in the water and placed where 1t was
found to keep it from blowing away. The
top Of the abutment is about three feet
above the water, which Is shallow near
It, and it is evident that she had climbed
down the abutment, coolly and deliberate
ly waded out as far as possible and sank
herself beneath the surface, to rise no
more, only in death. The river was
dragged from early morn until noon with.
out avail. The search was Immediately
renewed after dinner, but without much
hope Of success, for it was thought by
many that the body had got into the cur.
rent and floated of, but not so; about
three o'clock piece OF bread, containing
a small quantity Of quicksilver was
placed in the river Immediately above
where it was supposed the young lady
went in; it slowly followed the current
until it reached The mouth Of Sand creek,
about two hundred yards below, when,
all at once, it stopped and whirled round
several times, and some that were in skiils,
watching it, said it turned over. Search
was commenced, near where 1t stopped,
and in short time the body was found
and brought to shore.
The whole thing is a mystery, which
perhaps will never be revealed. But she
Is gone, and it is to be hoped that all gos.
sip concerning this sad affair will cease.
The parents OF the deceased have the
sympathy of the entire community.
The father of the suicide writes note
to the NetrS in which he says,
"Ihave examined the eletters and papers
ofmy daughter Mamie, and her acquaint.
ances may feel some interest in knowing
that she says that nothing disgracelul
caused her to take the last rash step. She
casts no reflections on any one"
| A paragraph in the Charleston Courier
says the young lady was driven to suicide
"by disappointment" lin love, we pre-,
sume)