National Republican., 1883-08-18
MRS. ALL1soN,s SUICIDE.
The Cunning with Which She Prepared
HerTerribIe Plans TO Outwit Her Friends
And End Her Life.
Dubuque Time


And End Her Life.
Dubuque Times.
She had been particularly joyous over the
privilege of spending the summer at Dubuque
with her husband, and had planned many
improvements of her homo hero and at Wash
ington, and the purchase Of a home here close
to her for her mother. She was deeply i'm
mersed in these projects when her husband
left her, and though she had been somewhat
ai!ing, would not admit that she was in any
way seriously indisposed, and urged the senator
TO fulfill his appointment. There had boon
no insomnia, such as had accompanied her
former attack, and she said, in answer to her
husband, that she felt nothing Of her former
symptoms. To his suggestions that she go
with him to Burlington she interposed reason
able objections, and to an attentive suggestion
that she have her mother come she pleasantly
urged previous arrangements of visit of her
own to Burlington in September, and n re-
turn of her mother here in October There
was and had been nothing TO indicate the
purpose which she undoubtedly only sud
denly conceived and suddenly carried out
The principal facts of tho sad occurrence are
as follows:
AT about 1870 on Sunday afternoon her wait
ing maid carried her dinner to Mrs. Allison in
she told tho maid that she thought she would
eat nothing until tea was served As the maid
| left the room Mrs. Allison remarked to her
that she would drop in and SEQ Mrs. ID. B.
Henderson little while. The distance being
| but two or three blocks, and the way o COM
pact body Of residences, the maid thought
| there was no need of watching her. Instead
of going to Mrs. Henderson's she went down
Locust street, up Julian avenue, and was last
seen alive near the head of Dodge street. at
the southwest corner of the city. When near
the Lorimer house she met Mr.. and Mrs. H.
! B. Glover, and after the usual salutation she
remarked to Mrs. Glover that she was going
to make her visit as soon as they got into
their new house. Nothing in her appearance
or manner gave rise to any suspicion in the
minds of the Glovers, and they, like scores of
others, knew that it was Mrs. Allisons habit
to take frequent walks Of two or three miles.
She went up the avenue, and, it is thought,
along Grandview avenue to the Horton resi-
| dence, which was one of her customary
routes. 1t is also thought she kept herself
hidden from Wow during the afternoon near
| the head of Dodge street, and made her way to
the river below Moore's mill after dark.
Mr.. Allson's serving maid, believing her
| to be with Mrs Henderson, felt no uneasi-
ness at her absence the whole afternoon.
1t was about 7 o'clock that Mrs. Henderson
called to see Mrs. Allison and then it flashed
upon the servants mind that she had been
outwitted by her mistress, and at once tho
alarm was given to several neighboring
friends, who proceeded to search for the miss
ing woman. The river bank was patrolled,
and people with lanterns and torches did
| their utmost to get some cew to the route sho
had taken. This fruitless search was kept
up all night. At 7:20 yesterday morning, as
| the Chicago train on the Chicago, Milwaukee
and st. Paul road was moving slowly along
the river side below town, Mr.. Flanagan,
baggageman, saw the dress of the unfortu-
nate woman floating in the river. 1t was at
point just below the railway bridge, near
the mill at the foot of the yard, and about
thirty feet from shore, in water about two
and a half feet deep. The baggageman
instantly called attention to tho body, and
| Mr.. james Plaster had the train stopped
and backed up. Other help was called for
and Edward Preston and j. Coffee, employed
at Moores mill, rescued the body from the
water. How resolute and deliberate the
| unfortunate woman was in her purpose
of self destruction may be inferred
from the pains she took to make her
act effective. She carried with her a small
paper parcel, containing thin shawl and
| gosSamer, scissors, some sewing needles and
thread with which to help her on in her
| desperate act. With the scissors she had cut
! oil part of the gossamer, and filling them with
| stones had tied them to her neck. On tho
shore was her hat carefully laid on the ground
Win stone In the crown TO keep IL there,
| together with the other things mentioned,
including some small vials of harmless medi-
cnes. Mr.. Plaster took charge of the body
and with much delcacy and consideration
asked the curious lookers-on to disperse be-
fore summoned friends came, and at once
| telephoned up town for help. Within fow
minutes many persons were present, Mrs.
Henderson, Mrs. Carr Mrs. Crane, j. M.
Ballou, and S. S. Wemott among others. Soon
| temDOrarY Casket WINS BROUGHT To the gDOt
and the body placedin it and conveyed to the
residence on Locust street.
Mrs. Allison wrote two letters on Saturday,
which were mailed to the parties TO whom
they were addressed-her husband and Mrs
Senator Grimes, of Burlington, (her foster
mother). She was very anxious that they
should be mailed at once, which was done.
The contents of these letters may throw some
| light upon the final act, which may even
then have been in definite contemplation by
| her.