Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1882-08-11
A STRANGE STORY.
The Unfortunate InfdtudtiOn Of a PhiJd-
delphta Lady.
Memphis Appeal


delphta Lady.
Memphis Appeal.
Yesterday considerable excitement was
occasioned on Carolina street, Fort Pick
ering, by the report that Mrs. Dora J.
Sharp, widow of the late Judge ]. l..
Sharp, had tried TO commit suicide by
poisoning. Investigation showed the re-
port to have been true. The cause of
the attempt lies in that part of nature
that is stranger than fiction. Mrs. Sharp
has been the victim of most remarkable
infatuation, and from it has resulted
suffering to herself and great
pain to a worthy gentleman, Capt. Robt.
nj. Leech. About two years ago she met
this gentleman casually, and fell very
much in love with HIM. He, however,
did not reciprocate; in fact, for some
time he was totally unaware of her feel
ing toward him. He was very much sur
prised when he began to receive tender
letters from her. These he always re-
turned, and in fact, did everything he
could to discourage her. He conceived
the idea that perhaps she was not of sound
mind. a short time ago he happened to
go to church with his daughter and
lady. Mrs. Sharp saw him. Shortly
afterward she sent for him TO come to
her. She reproached him bitterly for
going with the lady to church. He didn't
know what to make of it. She asked
him to look over her deeds and other
papers and see if her estate was all right.
"My dear madam" said he, ''if l were
to undertake it would be twice as long
as anybody else, and l wouldn't know
any more about it when | was through
than l did at first. You ought to get
your lawyer TO examine your estate"
This did not suit her at all. She
wanted him TO examine the papers.
Thinking that perhaps she was pushed
for money he offered to lend her any
amount she needed. She SAID she did not
need any money She wanted his love,
and she wanted him to marry her She
had plenty of property. At the word
marry he thought it time to leave. This
was not the end of it. She sent him
costly presents, which he returned. She
gave his little girl a handsome
diamond pin, which he had returned
Mrs. Sharp thought some one
was interfering in the matter, and
was keeping her letters and presents from
him. Day before yesterday she met him
on the street, and again pleaded with
him. He told her as gently as he could
that she ought not to go ON that way
She said she was going to kill herself.
BE told her, laughingly, not to do that,
as q coffin would cost 500, and it was too
expensive. He did not suppose for mo-
ment that she would do it. She said that
he would see she loved him better than
he thought. She had made her will in
his favor, and asked him to take
care of her sister. Yesterday he
was very much Mortified when the
news was brought TO him that she had
really attempted to take her life The
affair is very lamentable. Capt. Leech is
very much distressed about the matter,
and is afraid that his position should be
misconstrued, but he has acted, it seems,
most honorably throughout. He says he
entertains the highest respect for Mrs.
Sharp; that she is lady in every sense of
the word, but that she is monomanic on
this subject. The captain said that, on
his honor, his relations with her had been
only those above set forth
From last accounts Mrs. Sharp was i'm
proving, and was expected to recover