Wilmington daily commercial., 1875-08-20
The Reading suicidai Horror.

FURTHER PARTICULARS HOW THE DEED WAS COM
MtTTED--NEGLECT sUPposED TO BE THE CAUSE
OF THE SUICIDE.
The Reading papers give further particulars
of the drowning of Mrs. Bissinger and her three
children, mentioned in these columns yesterday
After the recovery of the four bodies from
the canal, which was accomplished soon after
death, the fatal plunge having been witnessed
by persons at a distance, coroner = inquest was
held, which rendered verdict that the woman
came to her death by suicidal drowning, aud
that the death of the Children resulted from
drowning, caused by the wilful act OF the wo-
man, supposed to be their mother. who was
found with them. At this time tho bodies had
not been identified.
The Coroner states that in his opinion Mrs.
Bsspger must have committed the deed
shortly before five o'clock She fastened the
basket, containing about twenty-one pounds
of stone, around her waist with a thick cord,
which she had taken with her, which in tho
opinion of the Coroner, together with other
circumstances showed that the suicide was a
deliberate one, and that she had, yesterday,
fully determined upon the decd. She took
one child under one arm, another under the
other arm and holding the third child close
to her breast in front, she jumped INTO the
water and they all persisted together Mrs
Bissinger was dressed in a loose black cape
and a plaid dress, which in its wet condition
looked like de.aine. She had very finely
worked pocket handkerchief about her, and in
her pocket was wallet containing about six
dollars IN currency. There was also printed
slip of newspaper containing the name OF her
husband and two letters were found in her
pocket These letters were taken by the Coro
nor, and were found to be dated August 9TH and
10th, 1865. The letters were couched in the
most endearing language, commencing and end
ing in the manifestation of the strongest ties OF
love, respect and esteem They were
signed by the first name Of her husband, and
these were tho only letters found On her person.
She had them in her pocket and from appear
ances she had read them the last time yesterday
on her journey mp the river bank. All her cloth
ing was on her person, excepting her hat which
had floated away. The unfortunate lady would
have become mother to another babe IN rev
months. Tho children were very nicely dressed.
1t is stated that the little ones i'll their child
ish innocence, helped to gather the stones along
the tow PATH with which the basket was filled,
to sink them and their distracted mother IN the
water or tho canal.
Mrs. Louisa Bssngor. the deceased, was the
eldest child of the late Frederick Eben, who re-
sided in this city many years ago. She WAS born
IN this city and lived for many years with her
parents who kept the Aulenbach Hall restaurant
and other places. She was married to Philip
Bssinger about ton years ago, and has had SIX
children, three of which died natural deaths,
and three lost their lives yesterday as recorded
above.
PUBLIC orINIoN IN READING.
Through private sources we learn that the
very general belief at Reading il that Mrs. BIZ
singer was led to the commission OF suicide by
the neglect of her husband 1t is understood
that a Young lady of that city had estranged the
affection which Bssnger once bore for his wife
and appropriating it to herself 80 wounded the
spirit and grieved the heart of Mrs. Bissinger,
that in her distress she was driven to the ending
Of her days in this sad manner. Inc letters
above alluded to, it ID broadly limited, were
nortions of surreptitious correspondence
between Bssinger aud the young lady
(whose name it is mot necessary
to mention) which had been Intercepted
and placed in possession or the wire. lheHe
with other circumstances, of recent date, are pc
leved to have been the immediate ca,ises OF the
destruction of life. To the children, espeoiaily
the Younger, boy, Bissinger was very much
attached, and the suppostion is that the mother
drowned them not only to prevent another wom-
mn from "lordng 1t over" them, but to increase
the modification of the husband and to bring to
him sadder realization OF the blow lnfhcteu'
PHILIP BIssINGER,
the husband of the lady who suicded, is the
proprietor of one of the most widely and ex-
tensiyely patronlzed beer saloons in Reading
lie is also the leader of the Reading
Mannerchor, fine musician, anu
highly respected. His place is u
is a sort of Board of Trade, where the business
men Of the city meet at 10 O'Clock almost regu"
larly each day, and to whose convenience he has
set apart room for business purposes. He went
to Reading poor boy, married his wife while in
humble circum stances, and after his marriage
his mother. in. law, who was then conducting the
saloon and had made considerable money, quiet
Iy retired, leaving the management to Blssinger,
who has also made bome money out oi 1t. He
had been married for about nine years, tho four
last of which have been, we understand, years of
great care and anxiety to the wife growing out
Of neglect in tho manner stated above.