Daily Los Angeles herald., 1883-11-23
SUICIDE OF MRS. R,cx1r.
Testimony Before the Coroner's Jury
"A Tale of Love. Desertion and
Broken Heart.

Broken Heart.
| A brief account of the suicide of Mrs.
Mary R.ckey, wife of J. +. Hickey, ap-
pearei in the HERALD yesterday morn
ing. The testimony taken before the
Coroner throws some additional light
upon the horrid affair, and shows that
Hickey deserted the wife of his bosom
on her deathbed to elope with we'll
known .courtezan OF specially vicious
character.
The first witness called was
DIR. J. W. REESE.
'Am physician and surgeon; identify
the body as that of woman was called
on to treat on the evening of 10th Fri
day. about o'clock. When l went in
found woman vomiting pretty severely
and suffering intense pain in region of
the stomach; she had cramps of the
lower extremities.
She stated to me that she had taken
teaspoonful Of arsenic; said she had
taken it about o'clock in the afternoon.
Asked her why she did it, She an.
swered because she wanted to die, on
account OF some trouble with her hus-
band; that her husband was going with
some other woman. She stated her hus-
band knew she had taken the poison; in
fact she had taken it on the street in his
| presence. Then asked her what he had
said to her when he saw her take it; be
| told her that if she was = fool enough
to kill herself, why to sail in" SaS
her next morning and again the next day.
The symptoms of arsenical poisoning
continued increasing until the day Of her
death. Yesterday morning she was
taken with convulsions. She died about
five o'clock yesterday evening. She told
me she had taken the poison with sui
cidaf intent. aad the arsenic was the
cause Of her death. I did not see her
husband during her illness. She told me
he had come the next day after her
taking the arsenic and removed his
trunk from the house She was very
anxious to live after she heard she had
to die, Did nat ask her where she
bought or got the arsenic"
MRS. H. D. oELLATl
Was next sworn. She deposed; DE
ceased was my sister-in-law, Her name
was Mary Riokey, l know she has
Cherokee blood but do not know where
she was born. She was about 25 years Of
age; was married to J. FsRickey Has
been married about 10 years. She had
5 children. Am not positive but sup
pose deceased did the act through jeal
ousy Don't think she had any idea of
killing herself but only intended to
frighten her husband Do not know
that she ever made similar attempt be-
fore. She told me three months ago her
husband had never spoken an unkind
word to her !"
MRS. Z. WATERMAN
Said; II live almost opposite where
the dsath occurred. Knew the family
somewhat for three months. Had not
been well acquainted with Hickey, but
knew Mrs. Hickey. Deceased took sick
last Friday, and sent for me about
8 o'clock that evening. saying she was
sick Deceased told me she had taken
arsenic; that she had begun to take the
poison at about three o'clock and had
continued to take it in small quantities
until she had taken teaspoonful. She
said she had trouble with her husband,
that he was not doing as she wished he
would. Do not know of my own knowl-
edge of any difficulty. Deceased had
frequently repeated the statement that
she had taken the poison. Am Of the
opinion that the woman was in her right
mind. She told me she bought the ar
senic at Fonda's drug store. She told
me she destroyed the paper in which
the poison was. and told me it was not
labeled She told the druggist she
wanted it for poisoning rats"
| MRS. MYRA BURNS
Was next sworn. oIdentify body in the
morgue as that of Mrs. Hickey. Am
professional nurse. Was sent for by the
ladies of the Benevolent Society to take
| care Of the deceased Went on Tues
day night; found her conscious but in
great suffering. Deceased said nothing
to me about the cause of her death. This
morning found the following letter:
'DEAH FRANK: II do any rash act you
will know how to overlook it, lam
likely to most any day now, but if do
you must see that the children are
looked out for. | cannot stand 1t, Frank,
to have you grieving for that thing. /
am going to the devil first, II she had
not come between US all would be all
right. Now if You had only wished it,
you are the only one ever loved, things
would have been all right But 1t Is
too late now. For Gods sake see that
the children are all right. l have not got
| Tue ucdft W uV huy tniuk+ tUkiF0 uhd
forget me. love you too well for
my own good. cant live without you
nor with you, ON account Of that thing.
If you want to know where am drop
me letter in the postofiice. I will get
it. You blame me for 1t all; ! cannot
stand it for I am not at ell to blame.
You have broken me all up. You
have broken my heart, so | will
end it all. / cannot say any
more, but have got to live whore ! can
see some life, don't want to live here
any more, so good by, as ever
MAY -------.'"
The letter was not dated or signed
any more than with the name Of May.
1t was written in pencil and evidently
under great excitement.
The jury, after hearing the foregoing
evidence. brought IN verdict that the
deceased bad oome to her death by pois-
oning hersslf with arsenic, administered
by herself with suicidal intent,
II Her tragic death forms ono Of those
all too numerous dramaain real life which
/ result from woman's devotion and mans
brutality and heartlessness.
.
a Passengers Due This Evening.
The following Ia tho list Of passengers
, by the Southern route, to arrive In Los