The Leavenworth weekly times., 1877-11-22
MORPHINE.
One Of the Inmates of the "Centen-
niai" Takes Three Grains of
the Fatal Drug.
And Makes a Probably Successful
Effort to Leave this World.

For the last two months there has lived at
the house Of prostitution on the levee be-
tween Cherokee and Delaware streets, known
as the Centennial" a small strange girl of
pleasing appearance, who was known and
quite popular with the class of people who
visit the place as Mamie Lee. Lately she
hadscOntracted "a strong affection Tor q man
named David Alley, who had been employed
on a railroad. He a: various times expressed
an opinion that all she wanted was what
money he could give her, and finally told her
he could no longer be considered as one Other
friends.
She at once became down hearted and told
him, that was the last time he would say such
things to her. Yesterday morning she made
an attempt TO leave the house, and did go up
town for while, but returned during the
evening after which Alley went TO the house
with a companion to sce her. While the three
were sit,ing in her room talking, she got up
and throwing her arms around Alleys com
panion told him she would not be here long,
and asked him 10 step aside so that she could
get to her trunk. He did so and she took from
The trunk what was supposed to be lemon,
and after putting something in portion
OF IL, swallowed IL. Th., occurred about seven
O'Clock. She then went 10 the prOprietress of
the house, Frances Slauterbach, and told her
that she was the only real friend she had
known since she had left Joplin and Kansas
City, and that she was sorry to cause her trou-
longer. The next heard of her was when she
was found in her room, sleeping the fatal
sleep which is produced by that
deadly poison, morphine. The proprietress
OF the place as soon as sne learned of the case
at once sent for DIR. NJ. $. Thomas who ar
rived about an hour and a half after the poi
son had been taken Chief of the Police
Moonlight, and reporter of the TIMES visited
the scene of the tragedy later and found the
poor girl In the arms Of a soldier who was as
sisting the physician, and surrounded by a
number of acauaiutanceS who were each
anxious to do ali possible to keep the patient
alive. Chief Moonlight found under the bed
= paper on which was written
"MoRPHINE GRs."
which was, in his opinion, conclusive
evidence that she had prepared the whole
amount in the lemon and had taken ii.
The patient at ten O'Clock WAS unconscious,
and was not expected by the physician 10
live.
Such cases when witnessed are
enough TO make subjects for much after
thought. Here was girl who yet bore traces |
Of beauty, alone In a strange city, dying, be-
cause of what: Because she had erred and
had not the proper influences Of encourage
ment to take her from the place into which
she had fallen. One OF the scenes connected
with the case is one TO be remembered. While |
she was in her room up stairs In a supposed |
dying condition, number OF the other wo-
men about the house were i'm the 'p.rlor"
down stairs, making as merry as IL nothing |
unusual was going on. This was promptly |
stopped, however, as soon as the prophet. ess /
discovered it, and tie house was cleared. |
She seemed To try to do everything possible to /
lessen the harder features of the scene.
The unfortunate girl, whose fate is so like /
many others of her class, Is abOu. twenty /
years OF age, and u is said belongs tn respect,
able family in Missouri. This is the third /
time she has attempted TO destroy herself by /
taking morphine, and Ii is possible IL VIII be
the last. AT II O'Clock, she was Yet In the
hands of DIR. Thomas and a number Of atten-
dants, but littl- hope was expressed that her
life could be saved.