Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1875-03-23
THE GAZETTE.
TUESDAY EVENING, MARCH %.
ATrsMpTED SUICIDE.
from the Baltimore Evening News.l

j.
Shortly afterr: eight o'clock, on Thursday
evening, a lady Of prepossessiug appearance.
and apparently from thirty to forty years Of
ner of @Calvers5ana Franklinstreets, and regis
tered as Mrs. Martin, Norfolk, Va She
partook of hearty supper soon after her ar
rival, and then retired to rest 10 room Nos
Yesterday, as she did not make her appear
snce at the breakfast table not tll the forenoon
was tar advanced, ran< attempt to arouse her
was made by one Of the ,waiserss .Hs hammer
ed at her door three different tunes, aud re-
ceiying no answer, be became alarmed and 10
formed the clerk. That gentleman gave Or
ders to have the door broken 10, aud upon bis
instructions being obeyed Mrs Martin was
fouod lying upon her bed in dying condition,
while on a'table beside her was an empty bot
tie labelled "chloroform," and an open letter,
the circumstances all pointing to an attempt at
suicide. Drs Patterson and Morris were sum:
moned with all possible dispatch, and brlet
examination by these gentlemen conhTmed the
idea. They pronounced the case one OF poison:
ing from an overdose of ohloroform. The doc
tors applied the usual restoratives, but the
lady, still lies in most critical condition. From
tie letter, which is as follows. it appears her
real name is Nelson, aud that the cause Of her
raSl act was tQaC DeT CHARACTER ndu Dteu uC-
famed by some of her acquaintance
IA demon which | have never resisted as it
was my duty to have. done, tempted me to com-
lnilt suicide, and .thea Immediately. my fair
name was assaied.. Sill could only make it
known as il knuw6-to me, that such foul
insult Was Fever heared upon me by any mau:
My unhappy. morbid, Discontinued nature
uade NE atlcmlt my life. Everything l said
iu regard IL he awful act was received wrong
fully; when said to Gen. Hampton [ was Very
weak, | neant that | was weak III trying to take
my life; Incvcr was in the habit of taking a
narcoic, aud whcn | have done it, it was to put
me TO sleep forever; never was thankful for
my creation. and there was the beginning of
my sin in not baiug Thankful! to God for lilc;
thcn | have The best OF sisters aud brothers;
they have ever been md and good to MT, all
Of which have been SO thankleSs Tor, aud
brought So much trouble to them and my
irCnds \ 4 am 50 sorry for all have
SAID and done in the last thirteen months.
am sorry tor having been such cruel sister
and friend. God have mercy on my soul.
KATE NELSON
II know Gruera Hampton anu Mrs Preston
put in circulation everything they could against
ue, aod. among others, that drank. Ills
deny Often When | was indisposrd | have
TAKEN spirit. AlteI got Ddck III NlTS. L TcS-
tons Only took what Gen. Hampton gave NE
except some lager beer. General Hampton,
Mrs Preston, ard my aunt, Miss Sallie, have
baokened and DETAINED my character, aud hell :
ed to put me in suicides grave. y, q. 4 !.
II have hundred aud forty-two dollars after
my funeral expenses and expenses at the hotel
are betrayed. Please send what remains with
my clothes to my sister Mrs. Howard, York
town, Va"
Since her. recovery to consciousness, Mrs.
Martin, or Nelson, is very reticent about her
affairs, and particularly in regard to her late
rash attempt apon her own lite.