Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1881-05-18
SEEKING DEATH.

SEEKING DEATH.
The Romance of q Philadelphia Girls Leap.
In the dusk Of Monday evening the
crew OF the Undine barge. rowing slowly
up the Schuylkill river, at Philadelphia,
heard splash behind them when nearing
Girard avenue bridge ut its western end.
Resting on their oars they looked around
and, by the excited motions of persons on
the bank, became aware that some one
was in the water. In q few moments q
head arose to the surface and it needed
but glance to show that it was girl and
that her hair had fallen loose and was
floating about her.. With quick strokes
they reached the spot and one or two
Of the young men lcaped overheard and
held her up until they reached the shore.
Commissioner Of City Property Dixey,
who happened to be driving in the payk ut
the time, with some assistance carried the
girl, who was then insensible, to the guard
house on the hill ut Sedgelcy. \ physi-
clan was sent for, who prescribed stinu-
lants and when the girl revived went
away. She was allowed to remain in the
guard house all night, without any COM
forts. In the opinion of the physicians at
the German hospital, where she was re
moved yesterday morning, this exposure
may prOlOng her illness. Her wet cloth
ing was partially removed and replaced by
articles borrowed from q woman living in
the neighbOrhOod, but they say mt the hos
pital that she had wet clothing on when
they received her. She was in high fever
last night and DR.. Raab said that she will
have to remain two or three weeks before
she will be well. There is 4 dislOcatiOn OF
the left shoulder and possibly 4 rib frac-
ture, although DR.. Raab CANNOT tell yet.
The portion Of her body on which she fell
is also bruised and much discOlOred.
When the girl recovered consciousness
in the guard house she said her ns.me was
Emma Newman and gave the address of
her mother at 111S jefferson street. AS
she lay Oh tho cot in the ward she ap-
pearcd 4 very unusual sort Of patient
She is a girl of more than ordinary attrac-
tiOns for her walk in life, and has all the
evidences of gentle blood. Her hands and
feet are small, and she is dellcatcly
shaped. Her complexion is clear and her
features good, particularly her eyes,
which are deep blue and very express
i've. Her hair is luxuriant and in color 4
deep Titan red. The chief points Of at
traction, however, are the extreme sensi-
bility of her features, u sensitive mouth
and 4 very sweet voice.
Her story was drawn from her by care
full questioning. My mother is poor"
she said, '' and wanted to help her, but
could not do it. l went to work for u
German tailor and sewed in an attic, but
grew sick and was weak, and with help
ing mother ut home could not work any
more. | only got two dollars a week.
Mother has lost her strength. Mother
sent me to the store OH Monday to get
some bread. We owed two dollars and
some cents and could not pay it and the
stOrekeeper said he would like to have
what was owing him before he gave any,
thing else. I came home and cried awhile,
and, rs l thought Of the state mother was
in and of how had to work, work, work,
and yet could not help her, and as
thought OF how badly felt and how there
was no bread or butter for nls or MA,
thought had better die
She then explained how she had read in
one of the "fasll'' New York weekly
papers, which she named and which she
said was loaned to her by 4 girl up stairs
in the same house i'm which her mother Oc-
capicd room, of "Vieve Van Buren, and
her leap from the East River bridge" and
she had also seen the picture on the
streets. This suggested to her the idea
of committing suicide in the park. She
went on the lower walk of the bridge and
looked down at the water, and several
times thought she would jump, but she
could not get over the rails very
we'll, and once when she started
to climb over them i man in the dis
tance waved his arms and scared
her. Then she walked down to the tow
path and without stopping an instant
plunged in. Although she was not aware
Of the fact. tho place where she went down
is deeper than any other part, being tic
channel used by the canal boats. The cs-
cape of the girl under the circumstances
was very narrow, for had the boat crew
been any greater distance Off she would
almost certainly have been lost.
The girls appearance, her manners, her
conversation and the statements of her
mother, as we'll as the results of diligent
inquiry lin other quarters, Indicate that
she is an artless, high strung girl of gentle
birth and that she was driven to her des-
pcratc act by deplorab!e surroundings and
the influence upon her imagination Of a
romance which fell into her hands by ac-
cident.