The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1873-12-27
LOCAL MATTERS.

HORRIBLE AFFAIR AT PowHATAN-A You've
WOMAN Throws HERSELF FROM THE FIFTH STORY
OF tue Factory. Saturday last, shortly af-
ter noon, man passing in view of the Powhat
Cotton Factory, at Powhatan, I'd district,
was horrltied at seeing young woman appear
AZ a WINDOW the ffth-stor Of that lofty
building, and suddenly throw herself out. The
windows Of this story receding some distance
from the line of the lower stories, the unfortu-
nate woman first struck the sloping roof, and
then making several bounds, pitched forward
over the caves of the factory, and plunged
down sixty five feet to the ground, where she
struck upon her feet with fearful force, and
then fell forward, striking her head violently
against the solid earth, receiving horrible
wounds upon her forehead, and also breaking
both wrists. Strange to say, the poor creature
was not instantly killed, but actually rose from
the ground, aud staggered to the factory steps,
where she fell unconscious. In the meantime,
Henry Dittman, the man who saw her jump
from the window, ran to that side of the mil,
and found the unfortunate woman lying upon
the steps insensible. Dittman Immediately
gave the alarm, and in few moments she was
surround by a crowd of Mortified and sympa-
thizing employees, who conveyed her to her
boarding house near by, where she received the
aid of Doctors Fields and Monmenier, who pro-
nounced her case hopeless. Portions of a
glass bottle, gravel and other hard substances
had been driven into her wounds, and in addi-
ton 10 a number of cuts and bruises about the
body, her right arm was broken in two places,
and both wrists were fractured. In falling she
struck piece Of bottle, which was driven into
her head and fractured her skull. Three OF her
right ribs were broken, and CHASTITY scalp
wound, nearly four inches in length, extends
across her forehead. In addition to the exter-
nal injuries, she is also supposed to have re-
ceived serious internal hurt. After being re
moved to her boarding house on Saturday af-
ternoon she remained in an unconscious condi-
ton until Monday morning when she became
conscious, and at intervals talked with her
friends. In the evening. however, she again
became unconscious, and her physicians have
no hopes of her recovery.
The name OF the young woman is Julia
Wheeler, and her age about % years. From all
the circumstances it would seem that she had
been laborng under the influence of some Sc
cret grief or ALTERATION of mind, which prompt
ed her to the rash act
Miss Wheeler has no relatives except an
elder sister, who is the wife of well-to-do
farmer in Howard county named James Tuck
err Her father and mother died when she was
seven years of age, and since that time she has
boarded with Mrs. Henry, who looks upon her
as a daughter. For the past two years she has
been under promise of marriage TO man
named Leopold Monte, who lives about four
miles from Powhatan Mills. Monte is As years
of age. The marriage has been postponed twice
on account of reluctance on the part OF Miss
Wheeler. In last September it was postponed
until January, 1874. Monte was sent for on
Sunday morning, and was at the bedside of
Miss Wheeler from Sunday afternoon until
Monday night. The terrible occurrence seems
to have almost deprived him of his reason
Mrs. Tucker, the married sister of the unfortu
nate girl, was also close attendant. When
Miss Wheeler first regained consciousness she
denied having thrown herself from the window.
She finally acknowledged it to her sister, and
said in extenuation, that "she had more trouble
than she could bear" Her sister asked her
what led her to commit the rash act? She
swered that she chad great trouble at her
heart, and it would be better, perhaps, to keep
st there"