The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-10-26
JUMPED INTO THE SEA.
Story of the Suicide of Miss Sarah C. Car
pehter. ------.-

New York Special
The steamship Bothnia, from which Miss
Sarah G. Carpenter jumped into the ocean, ar
rived at its pier in this city TODAY From the Of
fcers the following facts We're learned: On the
evening of Sept. "a the Bothnia Law at her
wharf with steam up The order to cast off had
been given. when trim built young woman
hurried breathlessy up to the policeman. 81
am passenger and want to go aboard, she
said. She was assisted to the deck The next
minute the gangpank swung in the air, the
lines were cast off, and before the late pas
senGer had recovered her breath the
steamer was heading for open water She
SAID she was Mrs. John Blake; that she was
going to Liverpool to meet friends; that she
had not made up her mind to go until late
hour. and that she had no baggage except a
small satchel Early the next morning she
was on deck. She walked with a springy
step, held her head up and breathed in the sea
air as though thoroughly enjoying herself. She
ate hearty breakfast, and spent the morning
getting acquainted with the officers of the
steamer and the other passengers. She was so
agreeable that the other passengers took kindly
to her.
Afterward the sky darkened, the wind came
whistling from the west and everything prom
ised a stormy night. At the dinner table Miss
Carpenter was the only one whose spirits were
not depressed by the bad weather. She laughed
and joked with DR.. Kennedy, the ships
surgeon, and seemed to be bubbling over
with fun. The westerly wind and dark sky
kept their promise. As night came on the water
sweled into high, uninterrupted waves The
darkness grew so dense that the ships lights
were like holes in jet black blanket. The air
was cold and damp. The deck was deserted by
everybody except the third officer. AT 10
o'clock, in accordance with her usual
custom the stewardess made tour of the state
rooms to see that every thing was in order for
the night The door of Miss Carpenters state
room was ajar. The stewardess knocked on the
door, but there was answer She called, and
there was still no answer Then she
entered, and found that the bed had
not been disturbed. Miss Carpenters wrap was
on chair, partly hiding her satchel, which was
open The stewardess made hurried search
for Miss Carpenter and then called Captain
Mckay. Several officers Joined III a
thorough search below, and then lanterns
were procured, and every part of the steamer
was examined. Then Miss Carpenters sachel
was examined. 1t contained some money and
two letters addressed to Mrs A. F. Carpenter
and Miss Conklin, of Brooklyn.
WAS any attempt made to rescue her or
search the water for her body2" an officer of the
Bethnia was asked.
'It was pitch dark at o'clock" was the
answer. Miss Carpenter may have crept on
deck or dropped into the ocean three
hours before here disappearance was discovered.
If it had been discovered ten minutes afterward,
it would have been impossible to have done any
thing for her, as We kept steaming right along
all the time, and no human being could have
lived more than few minutes in that sea-"