Salt Lake evening Democrat. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1885-1887, 1885-12-30
DEATH BY STRYCHNINE.
Mary Wilson. 10 Years of Age, Takes
Up Arms Against Domestic
Troubles,
And by Swallow of the Deadly Strycll-
nine, Opposes and Eifectually
Ends Them,
For She HAD Previously Told Her
Brother "She Couldn't Stand
Ii Any Longer"

A shocking suicide occurred this morn
ing in the Eighteenth ward, by which the
family OF Henry Wilson is plunged into
the most distracting grief. Mary Wilson,
a young woman something over 10 years
of age, was discovered in front of Mr.
Harry Fields residence, on A street,
about 8 O'Clock this morning, and attract
ed the attention of Mr.. Field by the
peculiar manner in which she stumbled
along on her way northward above the
Eighteenth ward meeting house. Com
ing out at his front gate about half an
hour later, he saw, some distance further
up the road, what appeared to be
THE PHOSPHATE FORM OF a WOMAN.
MIR. Field, recalling the incident of the
woman staggering past some few mo-
ments before, FASTENED to the spot, and
found already there, bending over the
unfortunate young woman, in an effort to
arouse her from what seemed to be
stupor Mr.. Isaac Langton, who had
stumbled upon the body Willie hurrying
down to work, The two gentlemen tried
in vain to relieve her sufferngs, and in
reply to the question, "What is the mat
l.
Mr.. Field fastened down town and sum
moned Dr. Benedict, who arrived too late
to afford any aid Meantime, Mr.. Lang
ton, assisted by j. Il. Billing, carried the
victim to the family residence near the
corner of B and Fifth streets, which was
little more than 200 yards from where she
fell. On the way she pleaded to be laid
down, her commissions being something
terrible, and in less than ten minutes
after reaching her home she expired. She
stated, in reply to several questions, be-
fore arriving home, that
SHE HAD TAKEN sTRYCHNINE,
And gave as the cause that her mother
was cross with her. The coron er's in
quest, which was held within two hours
after the occurrence, revealed the fact that
Mary had been absent from home since
Tuesday morning about s o'clock, and
that she had quarreled with her mother
alton which had been secured for
her, and which, it was expected
she would enter yesterday morning
During the alteration Mrs. Wilson struck
Mary on the side OF the head, the girl
having persistently insisted OH going to
some dancing party, to which the mother
strongly objected. She was not seen
afterwards by her parents until brought
home in a dying state. Her brother
Matthew, who is employed at the TWEEN
tieth Ward Coop, on being told yester-
day morning that Mary had gotten bot
tie OF strychnine from the store and had
had it charged to her mother, proceeded
Immediately in search OF his sister and
succeeded in finding her near Bishop
Sharp's residence He prevailed upon
her to deliver to him the bottle of strych-
nine, and advised her as to the nature of
the crime she contemplated. She said
she
COULDN'T STAND IT ANY LONGER
(Probably referring to her trouble at
honey, but after some considerable talk
with her brother she started off to take
the situation according to appointment.
She had been given dollar by her
brother for the purpose, he understood,
OF buying an apron, but it is more than
likely she used it, or portion OF it, to
purchase the deadly drug that DESTROYED
her life. She did not call on the family
with whom she was to enter service and
her brother hunted high and low for her
last evening without success. There does
not appear to have been ANYTHING
remarkably violent in her quarrel with
her mother, further than that already
mentioned, and her parents do not seem
to have had the slightest suspicion that
she would resort to any extreme, well
knowing that the fiery temper OF the girl
had often led her into doing and saying
extravagant things, which were easily and
soon forgotten afterwards.
The coroner's jury, after examining the
evidence, rendered verdict that the de-
ceased had come to death by the use of
strychnine poison, self-administered
bottle nearly half full of diluted
strychnine was found near where the
young woman fell, and DR.. Benedict ex-
pressed the opinion that she had very
probably lain down by the creek and
filled into the bottle containing the poi
son some water, as there was ample
evidence that she had drank from the
dilution.
THE FAMILY OF THE DECEASED
Came from Scotland in the spring of 1882,
as Mormon emigrants, and are repre-
scented as being quiet, industrious people
OF rather exemplary habits.
The young woman herself was de-
cidedly misunderstanding person, with
blue eyes and fair complexion, and is
said to have been bright and yivacious.
as well as very amiable when not I'm her
occasional moods. 1t is not probable that
any new features will be developed in re-
lation to the cause OF the suicide.
!Salt Lake City Brewing Company.