The New York herald., 1879-07-08
SHE WOULD NOT LIVE WITHOUT HIM.

WOMAN DESERTED BY HER HUSBAND COM
MITs SUICIDE IN A FIT OF JEALOUS EXCITE
MENr-THREE BULLETS IN HER BODY.
Mrs. Josephine A. Cotton forty three years of age,
a small. delicate woman Of refined appearance closed
herself in her apartment at No. ZIG Chrystie street.
last night, and committed suicide by shoot.
ing herself in the head and breast. Her
married lite had been most unhappy. She
complained that her husband. who is compositor.
had abandoned her. He had been giving her weekly
allowance of SO to live upon. Yesterday at noon
he called upon her, and then he hastened away,
and she soon after left the house. tell
ing Mrs. Stern. who lives on the same
floor. that she going to Brooklyn to break the
windows of the house where her husband resided
with the woman who had supplanted her in his at
fections. She took with her framed copy Of
her marriage certificate and photograph Of
her husband. She returned to her lodging about
excitement and distress. She again sought Mrs.
Stern apd informed her of the result of her mission
''Oh, Mrs. Stern" she exclaimed, "ths has been
most distressing day to me. smashed those win
dows where that woman lives in Brooklyn and fol.
me arrested. / Was let 10 this evening. but nav nv
heart is broken. Here she said, handing Mrs.
Stern papers. keep these till after my death
and then give them to the reporters. And here are
my Wedding ring and gold chain. When 1 am dead
put these in the coffin and bury them with me-
THE SHOOTING.
Mrs. Stern. thinking that the poor woman was
only in hysterical mood left the room to put the
papers and trinkets away. She suddenly startled
by the loud report of revolver. Three shots
fired in quick succession and Mrs. Stern hurried
back to the apartment, where she saw the life
less form OF Mrs. Cotton stretched upon the floor.
The deceased was dressed i'll white braided muslin
wrapper and skirt She lay her back in the
or the front room, with pillow under her
head IN this position she had placed the revolver
to her bosom and fired and then discharged the
weapon at her head both shots taking effect. Where
the third bullet struck could not DO perceived, as
the body not disturbed examined She left
the following letter addressed to her husband:-
NEw YORK. July Z.
Goodby, husband. May God forgive you for your
the cold world alone. You how lone
some was and how have loved you GoodDy and may
God forgive and you! He has tried hard
cannot bear It, Not of sunshine has my
heart since you have lived with her
The deceased left Mrs. Stern diary indorsed
'Memorandum of my daily life: house No. 2sG West
Houston street, 1t mostly filled with
the sorrows of her married experiences. On
January % she attempted to commit suicide
at her residence in Houston street. by
shooting herself in the breast. She explained
subsequently to the police that the shooting was
accidental She said she had purchased the pistol to
practice at shooting gallery. While showing it to
her husband, she said, the weapon exploded. Her
diary. however, shows that the shooting inten-
tiona1 and was prompted by jealousy.
Coroner Woltman took the testimony OF the people
in the house who had knowledge of the tragedy.
Late last night the husband of deceased called and