The White Pine news. [volume] (Treasure City, Nev.) 1868-1906, 1882-04-08
POISON AND pIsToL.
The Deliberately Planned Suicide of
Unfortunate Girl, Hattie May
MefTord.

the Unfortunate Girl, Hattie May
MefTord.
The suicide of Hattie May. we briefly men,
toned in our last issue as we were going to
press at the time) seems to have been a de-
liberately planned and carefully executed act
Of eif-destrnetion Her right name. as
brought out before the Coroner's jury. was
Hattie NJ. MefIord. She hal been here about
two months, and had been sick most of the
time. 1t was this. together With the heavy
debt she had incurred and relnorse at having
strayed from the path Of rsetitnde, that so
preyed on her mind as TO induce her to COM
nit the fatal deed. At first it was thought
she only shot herself, but since the Coroner's
verdict a bottle Of poison has been found in
her room, and it is believed she took that first
and shot herself afterwards. The letters she
left, which We give below. shows the utter
despondeney into which the poor girl had
fallen. There runs through them a vein Of
remorse and a chord Of tenderness that up
braids the hollow moekery Of those who claim
the utter depravity Of fallen woman.
She had a mother and sisters, no doubt,
good and pure perhaps as any in theland; and
with all her frailty. she loved them too. just
entering into wolnanhoJd, With a good edn-
cation, more thun ordinary personal beauty,
she made one fatal step / coutl MT BE- re-
traced. and rather than eoaliaAe in her course.
she put an end 10 her earthly existence. Who
can blame her? Asno one knew the anguish
that rent her heart. 50 mons shoald olama the
poor, hoari- broken girl tor ending her earthly
misery. She was decently buried Saturday
afternoon, and a large number OF people at
tended the funeral. Following We append
the letters left By her, the Coroner's inquest,
and the verdict of the jury:
LETTER To HaR NorHlg AND SISTERS.
CHgRkY CREaK. March -. 1882.
DzAR MAMA ANn SISTERS 1 have at last
come 10 the conclusion thai | am good Tor
nothing in this world. aud an about TO end
my miserable existence b. taking a dose OF
poison. ! have been SICK since | came here.
] renlly did intend u send YOU some money,
but all ms good intentions slip through ard
am nNfully IN debt now; but am not gong
to try to pay them. can't hear the thought
Of living long enough to do that. | nm so
Thoroughly disgusted with myself. aud my
surroundings. missed my calling when / be-
came a--. Never mind / have taken
the final loap now. / can go no further.
Goodbye. Forgive aud forget me-. | was never
anything but trouble 10 poor, dear mamma,
anyway | was a sad mistake, and you ean
all think Of me as better of, though an not
/ SUI L VII AA- AAuAA ~ ~ JUL Fth
you will all at least know where | am. Good
bye. dear En- and sue and mamma. Forgive
me for making yuu nil so much roubie; !
couldn't help II. | hope you may all i've IN
peace nov, aud Em and $40 never 10 US l
did for Gods sake. HATTIE.
TO ERNEST HARRIS.
DEAR ERsEEsT You will probably not be
surprised when you receive the intelligence
OF my suicide. rs / told yon before | lett that
| was apt to do il, not at any ume, but should
A. - 80 lgl.AZ frat AAHAN 1 m
tried everything, aud am now tired ana dis
gustsd; have been lick ever since | have been
in Cherry, and am head over heels IN debt:
bIt that don't worry me, Tor the dead owe no
debts. | would like once more 10 see you,
bue | could not live on that hope. Goooyei
forgive and forget me, and think me better
of. NV dear, you will find enclosed q letter
for mamma and sue. Please deliver It also
lind vour picture, which you wished returned.
| could not send any of mine. rs | had none
taken. Mr.. Hyde has got one | guess you
can have if sac will get II Tor you-that Is.
IL YOU want it. Goodbye, once moro, ms own
dear Ernest. We may meet again, some
time. bat not on earth. Lovingly,
coRoNrR's INQUEST
STATE or NEVADA,
COUNTY OK WHITE PtSE.
Miss Julia james being daily sworn deposes
and SAYS: / have known deceased since she
was "A child. Hattie May Metiord Is be right
name. The last | saw Of her alive was about
10 O'Clock last night, as | went INTO her room
10 give her medicine. She then went TO bed.
Afferward | heard her in her room up and
walking around. | told her she had bettergo
to BID, rs the doctor said IL she did not take
enre of herself she would become worse.
left her that night in very good spirits.
think she was born in sacramento. She has
a mother and two sisters living in Carson.
! She would be Is years ole | think in May.
When | went into her room this morning
could see that there was blood on her tore
head. She was unconscious. but still breath
ing. | noticed a pistol in her, and by force
took il from her. Found this letter lof which
the following is IA verbatim. copy
CHERRY CREEK. March til, 1852.
DEAR JULA ! have at last come to the con.
clusion that | am of no further use to myself.
or anybody else. | am Disguised with myself
and tired of living, so | put an ond to my mis-
cradle existence by taking n dose OF poison.
/ would try and get well aud pay M, debts
any heart for anything. | thank you. very
! kindly for all you have don for mo. and did