The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1885-04-13
A SAD SUICIDE.
FEARING INSANITY, A BEAUTIFUi
GIRL BROWNS HERSELF.
Rather Than Live and ia Burden {,
Her Parents-A Note Pinned on
the Door Reveals Her
Purpose.

CHICAGO April ID Tho following special
gives further particulars of tue sad suicide
Of Miss Brown, of Rockford. Ills, which
took place Thursday night and was noted
in these dispatches:
Miss Carrie Brown, daughter of Horace
Brown, very wealthy and prominent citi-
zen, drowned herself in Rick river late at
night she hal remained up after her father
and mother retired, quietly occupied with
ner sewing, and seemingly In the
best of spirits, AMI babe them
goodnight in her usual CHEEKY man-
ner. Ia the morning at half-past 6, Mrs
Brown went into her daughters room and
was startled az not finding her there. The
bed had evidently not been occupied. Rush
ing down stairs the agonized mother found
the lamp standing in the hall and the front
door unlocked. Further search in the young
Iadys apartments revealed two notes pinned
upon the inner casing of her chamber door
One was sealed and bore the address Erred
W. Lee, Des Moines, Iowa" The other was
not inclosei in any envelope and reid as
follows:
DEAR ONES AT HOME: The fall had in
Philadelphia must have affected my head,
n every winter since tucn a gloom has come
an interest in anything. Last spring | came
to tie conclusion it must lie because it was
| 20 quiet up here, and thought If went away
a: became interested in my mnsic | would
be all right. was mistaken, for am worse
| this winter than ever before. EVENT. hoarse-
ness had not interrupted my practice,
| cpuld not have made much progress
| while am in this condition.
| IL is only matter Of time be.
I CHI I ~
be a burden to you or another for years
| Something tells me have no right to make
| so much trouble and be Of 40 use feel
that it is Coils will for me to take the
course am about to take. | am sure you
viii feel as Mrs. Cooper did when thought
| Lizzis was going TO lose her mind that she
| had rather have her die than have her
mind impaired. The river bed in front will
be my resting place toni yht Please don't
| dress in mourning for Ina aud want You to
go on the same as usual. / would like to
have Mr.. Woodbury. preach my funeral ser
mon. Good-by, dear ores.
! This was written in beautiful, fine hand,
with the greatest care as to penmanship and
punctuation. The other sealed letter was t.
| her atiianced Rushing down to the river
bank, her father found a striped shawl,
dopOtless left to mark thu spot where she
made the fatal plunge. All day long gangs
of men have been dragging the river, firing
cannon and dynamite, but without finding
the body.
The fall referred to in the note occurred
| in n boarding-scho in Philadelphia in Octo
Der, 1881. While in a state of somnam.
bulism Miss Brown arose from her bed, and
when she awoke found herself hanging by
her hands from an iron projection in the
|
stone pavement OF the street twenty foet b.
low. Before aid arrived shs dropped, strik-
ing on her feet. Two gentlemen passing by
carried her within. The tendon5 of her
limbs were stretched and misplaced.
and it was six months before she was able
to walk. There was no indication at all
of her mind being impaired, and she
never limited at such n fear. Her father
was most indulgent, and her engagement
with Mr. Lee met the full favor Of her
parents. They wera 70 be married very
soon. The deceased moved in the bsSt cir.
cles Of Rockford society, and was q universal
favorite, She was 25 years Oh. Her home
was on the river bank in the midst of
spacious grounds, and was luxuriant in all
its surroundings Her father is prominent
capitalist, vice president If both the Rock
ford National bank AMI the Forest City
In,urance company, owner of Browns
ball and other public buildings, and
possessed Of large fortune. II
1880 she graduated from the east-side
high school, and for the last six months ha.
been in New Rork city pursuing her voca
stu lies. Owing to a severe cold, she returned
home about three weeks ago. Friday after
noon she was driving about the city with {
young lady friend, to all appearances as gay
and happy as ever. Mr.. Brown has offered
$l0l reward for the recovery of the body
Before reaching the river Miss Brown wa
obliged to walk quarter Of a mile. climl
two fences, cross a creek twenty feet wild,
with the water knee-aeep, cross the railroad
track, and walk some distance to the water
All day long Saturday parties have beer
dragging the river for the body of Miss Car
dragging the river. Giant powder anj
dynamite have been exploded in the water
in the hope that the conclusion would brinl
the body to the surface The relatives from
Chicago and Iowa are now In the city, as
sistinS in the search.