Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1884-10-13
WACO SHOCKED.
The Vito Of Hon. Z. A. Jones Com
mits Suicide by Cutting Her
Throat With a Razor.
She Is Supposed To Have Been Suffering
From an Attack Of Mental Aber-
ration,
special 10 the aaretto.

OF It's deplorable nature) this uO0l-
munity AZ the death this morning, by
her own hands, Of Mra. l.. A. Jones.
the estlmable wife OF Hon. h. A..
Jones, senior member OF the law firm
OF Jones & Kendall AZ first those
who heard Il could not believe
the sad tidlngs; Il seemed too
utterly improbable. As the hours
went by, however, aud mesiengera
from the residence confirmed what
had first been heard the news was ac-
copied and the sentiments Of astonlsh-
ment gave way 10 feeling OF pro-
found, widespread regret for such an
untimely demise OF n lady who was
the embodiment OF womanly and
christian graoes.
Mrs. Jones between the hours ofnlne
and ten this morning stated that she
desired 10 rest for awhile, for which
purpose ahe would retire 10 her private
chamber; that she would prefer TO be
left quiet aud undisturbed 10y any one
while thus resting. She did 40 retire.
oloslng the door after her, and was not
seen again alive by any one. Some
time elapsed and al was quiet In the
room Chat proved 10 be the
chamber OF death. Az last menu
Der OF the family, believing that Mrs.
Jones was sleeping and that II not
properly covered she might catch cold,
thought Il would be prudent To- enter
the room aud perform that service.
quietly and slowly the door was
opened lest the sleeper be awakened.
The scene that was revealed almost
froze the blood In the veins Of the be-
holder Mrs. Jones lay dead on the
iloor IN the middle OF the room, The
crimson stream that ran from
her throat far away from the body
told the tale. Across tile
throat, In front, ran wound The
veins had been severed by sharp
blade. The instrumcnt OF destruction
lay near. II wRA razor, bright and
sharp. After this discovery all was
terror, grief and hustle. Ihe.husband,
all unaware of the terrible tldlnga that
would call him home, was In
the city attending religious sor-
Vices. Messengers were dispatched
quickly for him and physicians, and
both answered the call promptly
enough. Ds. Joe =. Willis and w. II.
Wilkes were the first physlclans on
the scene. They could only look &C
the body, shake their heads and turn
away. IL was too late for human SKIN.
Life had fled and the body was dead.
According 70 the physiclans eitl-
mates she had expired an hour before
they came. Az she entered the room
between o aud 10 o'clock II follows that
the deed was committed almost I'M.
medlately thereafter IL Ia probable
TINT such was her purpose when she
stated she desifed rest and wished To
be undlalurbed. But for the care
which prompted attention IL would
have been an hour or moro later until
the discovery would have been made.
1'HRORIEs As 10 THE ACT.
Mrs. Jones left nothing IN the
nature OF writing or orally, stating her
Intention and the motives leading
thereto that we have heard Of. II IN
not probable that anything OF the
kind would be made known or given
to the public thus early. DR.. Wilkes
theory IL that III health, continued
aud causing great physical suf-
forlnR, had affected the nervous
and mental system, culmlnating ia
the tragedy Of to-day. Itiswell known
10 her friends that for some time her
health has been feeble, and II was with
the hope OF restoring II that she spent
the summer Just closed, on the eastern
shore Of Maryland. Unfortunately,
however, she did not recupefate ~
rapidly or thoroughly as was hoped for,
and when she turned her face home
ward "a few days ago, she was still weak,
although apparently much better than
when she left Waco in the early
spring. She had two Of her smaller
~ a 4
via 81. Louis. spending day there,
and
REACHED WACO YESTERDAY.
The Joyous greeting with husband,
children, relatives and friends, after
months Of separation .can be- imagined.
IL was noticeable, however, that Mrs.
Jones did not seem her usual buoyant,
cheerful self; she appeared respondent
and AZ lfdepresged with q premOnitiDn
Of some impending eyll. ~ can
only be surmised that this feeling 80
grew upon her and took possession OF
her that II was under It's impulse she
took the dread step.
THERE CAN BE NO OTHER THEORY
Her domestic relations were OF the
hBpplsst nature; she found pleasure In
her home life, the social circle aud WA
moreover devoted and consistent
Christian, n member Of the Protestant
Episcopal church. The death, under
such circumstances OF any other per-
son In Waco could not have been more
OF surprise and shock 10 this COM
munity.
Mrs. Jones was about thlrty-eight
years Of age, and "A highly cultured
woman. She was the mother Of four
bright Children.
II Is not probable that investigation,
AZ Of corOner's inquest, will be- held,
II " entirely optional with the family,
and the theory OF mental faculties uD-
hinged. for the time being, by phyei-
cal suffering, h 30 clearly demonstfable
AZ 10 render unnecessary an investi-
CATION.
IL Ii probable the body will be- en-
balmed and interment delayed until
Rev. DR. Markham can arrive from
New Orleans. He has been tele-
graphed OF tho sad event. aud askfd to
wire whether OK not he can cciue 10