Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1881-08-25
SHOCKING SUICIDE.

Ne,o York Heruld.

NSO ACfE ASFQtu.
Mrs. Daisy Oaks Dudley, wife of MIR.
Francis ID. Dudley and daughter Of ex-
Judge w. j. A. Fuller, of the law firm of Full
Ter 81 Albeit, Broadway aud Barclay street,
this city, committed suicide on Saturday
evening at her house on the summit Of
Orange Mountain, n. j. She shot herself
about five O'Clock through the brain, and
died about half-past twelve O'Clock the
same night. From the time of the shooting
until her death Mrs. Dudley was uneon-
scious.
The circumstances attending the shocking
affair, as gathered at the scene yesterday by
q Herald reporter, are of very distressing
character, the immediate cause of the dread
full act being a young married couples
quarrel over q most trifing matters Ques-
ton whether:husband and wife should drive
in basket ph@ton or a covered buggy.
On lovely day in June, 1SS0-'t was the
10th day Of the month"; brilliant wedding
took place In the Episcopal Church of the
Holy Innocents, st. Cloud, Orange Noun
tain, Rev. L. j. DanDer officiating. The
high contracting parties were Mr.. +. II.
Dudley, aged twentYfour, a fine looking
young man, the son of q New York mer-
chant, and himself member of the firm,
and Miss Daisy Oaks Fuller, aged nineteen,
the fourth daughter of Judge Fuller. The
bride, very handsome girl, with fine ewes,
dark hair and beautiful complexi on, pre-
sented most captivating appearance as she
walked up the aisle of the church, leaning
on her fathers arm, just previous to the
ceremony. The crowded church was elabo-
ratelY trimmed with flowers and evergreens,
and the wedding scene, as a whole, was one
of rare beauty and pictufesqueness. In the
evening there was o grand reception at
Judge Fuller's residence, on Rtdgeway
avenue, near General McClelIan's home.
l. -
the happiest omens imaginable, and every
body anticipated for them a life of unal-
loyed bliss, as they appeared to be devot-
edly attached to each other.
MIR. Dudley and his fair young bride went
to live in a charming cottage presented to
Mrs. Dudley by her father on her wedding
Gay, it being one of eight houses built by
Judge Fuller on the summit of the noun
tain, and besides being in the midst of
beautifully laid out grounds, commanded
splendid view Of the country lying between
it aud the Hudson, New York Bay aud
Brooklyn Heights. The period OF the
honeymoon had but little more than passed
when the neighbors began to notice evi-
dences Of unhappiness between the young
couple. Mrs. Dudley intimated to her
friends that her dream of marital bliss had
not been realized; that che had found few
roses and many thorns. Neighbors, ser
made but little attempt to conceal the fact
that she was a disappointed wife and had
become subject to fits Of melancholy. Re
Gently she asked lady neighbor to procure
for her some chloral or laudanum, but the
lady thought best not to do so. OF late,
according to general report, the husband
has been inattentive and spent his time with
genial male friends. For several months he
was away from business on account of I'll
aIaffu Tbn ta
others say husband and wife had many dis
tressing quarrels.
On Saturday afternoon the Dudleys ex-
pected visitor to stay with them over Sun
day, Mr.. Bayard G. Fuller, Mrs. Dudley's
brother. They were to start at O'Clock to
meet him at the Orange Depot of the Della
ware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad.
Mr.. Dudley went out to see that the con-
veyance was made ready. His wife went to
her dressing room to arrange her bonnet,
etc. Everything was all prepared when
Mrs. Dudley discovered that her husband
had had hitched a covered buggy instead OF
the basket phaeton, the vehicle of her
choice.
Crank" she said, quite provoked, ''you
know don't want that buggy. l want the
phaetOn."
''It won't do, Daisy, it's going to rain;
don'tyo see how cloudy it's getting2" he
replied.
81 don't care. want the phaeton, aud
won't go a step without 1t"
t&This was followed by an interchange of
angry words. The husband passed down
stairs but In an instant was summoned up
again by the sharp crack of pistol. A few
bounds up the stairs and be was In his wife's
dress ng room. She had taken large re-
volver which had been in the house since
Judge Fuller's house had been robbed by
burglars some time ago, and placed 1t at
her right temple and fired. The bullet
weighed l3O grains, or a quarter Of an ounce
passed Ohliquely upward through her
brain and came out above the left temple,
struck the wall and fell on the floor. Mrs.
Dudley fell with her head in the closet,
whence she had but few minutes before
obtained her hat which was on her Drs
Pierson and Richards were promptly sum
moned from Orange, but they agreed
that the case was hopeless. Everything
possible was done, but Mrs. Dudley never
uttered word or gave sign of conscious
ness. Just after midnight death ensued.