The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1882-02-23
rHE wAers or an.
Sad story Ofa Woman who Is Ileht on
self-DestrneliOn.

selEDestFneliOn.
AthrilllnG scene In 4 tragedy In real lie
was enacted in this city last night, and was
the means Of bringing 10 light one OF the
saddest stories we have ever been called
upon to chronicle.
About 0 o'clock, us Officer Radford, the
chain gang boss at the city workhouse, was
crossing the suspension bridge, he saw a
youngandattracllye neatly dressed,
standing near the west end Of the bridge,
weeping bitterly Near her WIS man,
evidently excited, and both seemed pei
picked At the approach oithe officer Rad
ford addressed tho woman, and asked
what her trouble was The lnan answered
for her that she had some trouble, and had
Just attempted to throw herself off the
bridge into the swollen river. The woman
corrOborated this statement, and said she
intended TO do so yet. At the request OF
the man the officer took the woman TO the
City Building, where sue told her story to
Lieut.. Sylvis.
The man and woman were husband and
vile. Three months ago she left their home
at Hockingport, when her husband was
absent, and came TO this city, bringing
with her their only child, bright little
girl Of nine years. She first got employment
at tho st. james Hotel, and the child re.
manned with her there. She left there in u
few weeks, and the child was placed in the
North Wheeling Hospital, where ii re-
manned until yesterday. Yesterday morn
ing the man came to the city, aud took the
child from the Hospital TO the Stamm
House. lie then, at the request OF the
Sisters in charge Of the Hospital, hunted
up his wife, and told her he intended to
take the child. She protested, and utter
quite scene started for the bridge, where
her husband followed her, fearing she
would carry out threat she had made 10
commit suicide.
From the City Building, by advice Of
Lieut.. Sylvis, the couple went to Squire
Philips for legal advice. lie told them
that the man could not take the child with
out the mothers consent, and II he did 80
under the circumstances he would be
liable for kidnapping.
AT length the woman was persuaded Ia
go the Stamm House, and there last night
u reporter interviewed both the man and
woman,
The mans name is Jerome Barger, and
he is tie merchant at HoCkingport. His
wite's name is Frances, and the child's
Ellen May, Mr.. Barger said lie had sus-
pected his wife Of inildelity to her mar
riage VOWS often, and particularly with one
man, drummer for Wheeling house,
whose name he gave. He blamed this
man for inducing his wife to leave home.
lie said he could easily prove that the
woman was neither tit nor able to have the
custody OF their daughter. He proposed to
btake the child and go west, after settling up
given no reason for leaving him. They
had had similar troublesome years ago, and
had parted, but were afterwards reconciled
lie was not now disposed to compromise
their difficulties, and pronounced q recon.
ciliaiian impossible
Mrs. Barger is quite pretty woman oil
twenty.six, though she looks at least five
years younger. When the reporter was
presented to her last evening she was neat.
ly dressed in black cashmere dress, with
u black cloth cloak and derby hat. She is
a very stylish looking woman, and but fol
the traces OF tears on her face her appear.
ance would not have suggested her trouble
in the least. She was married to Mr. Bar.
ger in Doddridge county, this State, twelve
years ago. She persisted in her resolve to
end her life, saying she had nothing to
live for but her child She tragically an.
nounced in the presence OF her husband
that she would never read the account OF
her attempted suicide in the morning
papers, because before that saw the light
she would be in eternity. She said in
response to an inquiry that she left home
because her husbands disposition and
habits were such that she could not live
with him. She accused him OF cruelty,
and remarked that she had resolved that
III he proposed to keep several women she
would not be one Of them"
Mrs. Barger said both she and the little
girl were heart broken at the prospect oil
separation, but she had been told that she
could not help-aik The little girl was
asleep in the reception room during the
conversation, aud after Mr.. Barger entered
the reporter proposed TO question the child
The mother seconded the proposition,
while the father protested that the child
was too sleepy to talk" The question
was asked with which parent she preferred
to 50, but she said with burst OF tears, 81
don't know" Afterwards, however, when
tho father said he proposed to take the
child with him on the Emma Graham this
morning, little Ellen said very decidedly,
but not intending to be overheard, INC
you're not, either"
Mrs. Barger says she has been sewing
Tor living Tor several weeks past. She is
now sewing for Il respectable cOlored fam.
lily, Isaac Franklin, on seventeenth street.
lie says Mrs. Barger has "aclcd like per.
iect lady" since she has lived with him,
now. some two weeks. The only iact re.
llecting upon Mrs. Burgers character
since coming 10 Wheeling was that when
she inst came 10 the st. james, she said
she had an appointment to meet the
man with whom her husband accused her
OF being too intimate. She admits that this
gentleman was often Mt her house, but says
no called to- sec n lady who lived with her
He pretended 10 be single man, but she
has since been told that he has a wife and
iamily.
Alter leaving the hotel last night the re.
porter was summoned back by telephone
message. Mrs. Barger had suddenly left
the house, saying her husband would never
see her again. He was fearful least she
might again attempt her life, and not
knowing anything about the city,
requested the reporter to accom-.
pany him TO her lodgings. Accom-.
panied by the mans legal adviser, the party
started toward East Wheeling, but met the
lady at the Capitol. She said it was her
intention to return to the hotel, but her
manner was suspicious, and it is extremely
probable that she was bent on suicide.
The story isa sad one and should awake
the sympathy Of happier mothers. What