National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1881-05-06
A SAD STORY.
A disappointed Female Omee-Seeker
Seeks Relief In Suicide.

/
The vicissitudes in the life of an office
seeker are the of some of the saddest expert
ences in human life The vexatious delays, the
continual disappointments, are so wearing upon
| the nervous system that especially when the ap-
plicant is in Strengthened circumstances, which
sooner or later is the case with the vast majority,
| the mind gives way and relief is sought in sui
eide One of the saddest of this sort has Just
come to light. During the past ten days LADY OF
| rather prepossessing appearance, and dressed IN
| deep mourning. has been haunting the rooms and
corridors of the Treasury Department She was in
quest of position. Young and good-looking, in
dicating in her manner and address the refine
ment and education of a lady, she enlisted the
sympathies OF all with whom she came in con-
tact.
HER HISTORY
was not an unusual one. Born and reared in this
District, at an carly age she married man IN good
circumstances engaged in business in New York
city. She left her home and went to live in New
York. Recently her husband died. and she found
herself in destitute circumstances with three small
children dependent upon her for support. She re-
turned to this city, but as her mother had married
again her home was not as pleasant as 1t once was
She soon found that it was necessary for her to
secure some means of support. So she placed two
of her children i'll an asylum, and, keeping the
youngest one with her, she secured rooms IN an
other part of the city, and began the search for
place. At the Department she placed on file very
good papers, and the case seemed to be deSery-
ing one, she was offered place. After working
several days she gave up the place, as the work
was not agreeable to her. She was then offered
another. but that again did not suit. Her conduct
was such as to excite
THE SUSPICION
that her mind had become unsettled but, as places
were not numerous, no other was offered She
then withdrew her papers, stating that she would
try some other Department. A few days after an
official received note from her, stating that there
was no use for her to live any longer, as she was
unable to support her children, and that she had
just taken some laudanum, and before the letter
was received she hoped to be dead. Letters of
this sort are too common in official life to excite
much remark, and but little attention was paid to
it. Still as she had been acting strangely, it was
thought that the letter might be true, and mes
senger was sent to her rooms to inquire. The
landlady said that she had come in but short
time before and was in her room. Upon being
asked if she was sick, the woman said that she
was not On going to the room, however, she was
found stretched out
UPON THE FLOOR
in an insensible condition. BY her side was two
ounce bottle partially filled with laudanum. She
had taken about two teaspoonsful. Her little
child, unconscious of the tragedy that had been
enacted, was playing about i'll lower room.
Medical assistance was at once summoned, and
after working with her for nearly two hours she
was restored to consciousness Her first words
were, "Oh. why did you not let me die" Her
friends were notified, and the next day she was
removed to her home, where she now lies in a
weak condition, but on the road toward recovery.
But for the timely call of the messenger she would
haYe been dead, as none of the people in the
house had any suspicion of what she had done.