The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1878-07-18
THE LAsT or MAGGIE LACEY.
A Young Girl Goes crazy Over Religion
and Ends Her Career by Jumping
Into the New basin.

At $3.50 yesterday morning young girl named
Maggie Lacey, residing on Claiborne street
between Perdldo and Poydras. committed sui
eide by jumping into the New basin at the inter-
section Of Prieur street. Shortly after the nm
fortunate girl sank she WIS rescued but not
before life was extinct: As soon as the body
WAS plae d on shore and viewed by the coroner
IL was removed to her late residence,
A DEMOCRAT reporter upon visiting the scene
found the ifeless body Of the girl In the front
room Of her parents residence. The corpse us
1t lay on the table robed la white the hands
gently folded across her breast, her dark hair
combed back from her forehead, while her eyes.
which few moments before spanked with ami
nation, remained half closed, overshadOwed by
her long dark EXCLUSIVES still moistened with
he water Of the basin, and from the smile on
her lbs she seemed to be lying in beatitude.
Around the inanimate TO III stood the mother
and brother sobbing bitterly over the tie Of the
ono they loved 50 dearly. The mother when
interviewed stated that Maggie had always
AN EXEMPLARY GIRL,
but since her fathers death, which occurred In
April 1871 she had been q mOnOmaniac on the
subject of religion that Of going to church she
was never tired she went morning, noon and
night to the Cathedral, and In the absence OF
services she would go there II 1t was only 10
bless herself with b ~ water.
Save for her religious pscuiiarities the poor
girl had every reason to be happy, as she was
idOlized by both mother and brothers. One pc
Gu lar odity about Maggie, as cited by her
brother. was she never smiled; the first happy
expression that hs had Witnessed Tor months
was the one that now characterized her features
in death.
Yesterday morning. after Maggie had re.
turned from morning mass, she approached
her mother and remarked, II am the most I'M
happy girl alive" Her mother tried to i'm press
her with the belief that che had everything
around her to make life valuable, and that
SHE SHOULD BE HAPPY.
After this remark was made by The mother
she asked her would she go and purchase some
thread. Maggie acknowledged a will tngness to
go, aud picking up basket. left The house and
staI ted down the street at so rapid q gait that
she passed number of friends without recog-
nizing them going up Claiborne street to Julia
down Ju ID street to the intersection OF Prieur
street. Once here she was standing on the
bank of the New basin, and before giving her,
self time TO consider the terrible act she was
committing, laaped into the basin and sunk al
most Immediately.
= Mr.. John Russell happened to be near at
hand. and hearing the haloonR Of q young
man on the bridge that woman had jumped
overheard ran to his assistance, ana recog-
nizing the spot where the girl had gone down
by the bubbles and bonnet, unhesi atinRly
leaped into the basin, After diving twice be
dive be brought Maggie La ey's lifeless body 10
the surface, and after great exertions brought
THE BODY ON SHORE.
assisted by Mr. Louis Schommer and Officers
Muller and Field, VINO had been attracted to the
scene. An rmpt was made to resusoitate the
girl, but OF no avail.
The coroner held an inquest and the jury o.
turned verdict of suicrne.