Savannah morning news., 1885-08-25
A MYSTERY SOLVED.
The Story of the Beautiful Girl Drowned
In the Ohio River.
From tie PAilaaeIDhia Press.

LOUISVILLE, Aug. 22.-The mystery
surrounding the finding OF the body of a
handsome young woman in the Ohio river
below this city, with towel tied about
her head and over her mouth, was cleared
up to-day by the discovery that the un-
fortunate girl was Miss Laura II. Nourse,
a young lady of excellent family, refined
and well-educated, who had been Chris
tlan missionary and a contributor to the
religious press. She had lately been liV-
ing at the Home of the Friendless and was
In poverty and despair About a mile from
the place where the bodywas found her hat
skirt, gloves and other little articles were
found where she had deposited them be-
lore taking the suioida! leap. In the fin
ger OF glove was the Kew of her trunk
and her address scrlbbled on small bit
OF paper In the trunk when examined
were many evidences OF her culture and
refinement. In one corner Of her trunk
was found large blank book which had
been used as diary during the wear 1894.
when she lived in Cincinnati. The notes
are kept Systematically, and express
such facts as these; "This day l for
warded an article TO the Christian Press.1
"Ihls day / received number of very
hattering compliments on an article pub
lished in the Christian Observer"
In the back OF the book there were about
htty pages covered with clippings from
dInerent religious papers, signed ~ the
bottom with her initials l.. II. n. There
were also found scattered through the
script number Of receipts showing that
she had rem ed during this period pew in
the Second Presbyterian church at Gin.
cinnati Besides these there were num-
Der OF personal letters and cOmmunica-
tions, and several very tiattering recon-
mendations from various Chris ian sooe-
ties,s on Jagged piece of white paper,
such as is used about a newspaper office,
was written her last statement before
the commission of the deed. 1t was
folded four times, and Is written in a
large, nervous hand. with several cross
marks across some of the lines.
A DEATH STATEMENT.
1t is in lead pencil and was traced the
night previous to her disappearance. The
tale of suffering and hardships ran as fol-
lows:
One that believes in a mercifll Saviour,
on Saviour that will help those who
strive after right with their whole heart
a. believing friend, have lived an up
right life all my life and have given kind
ness and consideration to every one, and
| have been driven tn despair by success
sion of injustice and unkindness that has
been undeserved. l believed in God and
tried to brave 1t out. l suffered enough
to Kill ten people that had not the bravery
of lion. | fought against uukindness
and injustice, standing up against them
Till can stand 1t no longer. / have no
defense against lying and misrepresenta-
ton. l could defy the world to prove
that l have ever done an immoral
act Of any kind. have loved
righteousness and all that was good
with all my heart, yet l have been in
the last few weeks insulted to my face
with the insinuations that | was not
true woman. l have never found that
God keeps me In the hour of trial, or gave
me any help in trouble, but still have be-
lieved and never dishouOred Him before
man. But He has utterly torsaken me
aud left me no resource but self-destruc-
ton. On. terrible to love a supposed
friend and Saviour to And hat one YOU be-
lleVe almighty to save nei her able nor
| willing To do aught for you. oh, terrible
to love right and find hat there is no
| power In heaven or earth that can bring
any good TO triumph over evil or help
Ose who strive after Righteousness. |
pity anyone who has any sense of right.
for IL is only those who can trample on
every pr nciple of honesty and honor that
can succeed In life. Those who care for
self above everything else, and who
trample on everything or everybody that
mes in their way, will have a good tine.
AS to the peace and love and joy that is
promised to Christian, it is all farce.
There is no such thing.
LAURA NoURsE.
HOPING TILL HOPE WAS LOST.
The day before she committed suicide
Miss Nourse was anxiOusly looking for a
letter from her brother in New Orleans.
II arrived after her death and WAS opened
today. She had applied TO him for as
sistance, and he replied that be was in
debt and distress himself with his family
t0 support. He sent her So with a promise
OF more from time to time, but with a
warning that she must expect very little.
She was opposed 20 doing menial work
and his letter was urging her 10 accent
any honest labor she could 30 earn a
living. The letter closes thus: 81 only
speak OF this to show you that do not
think you have a right to expect your
friends to bear the consequences OF your
proud ideas"
Mrs. johnson, matron of the House Of
the Friendless, tells Of love affair in
which the suicide endured sorrow. Dur
Ing the first DAYS of her labors here she
stated that some years ago she was en-
gagged to married to young preacher
IN New York city. Having occasion 10
10 TO the country, when she returned 10
he. afhanced she found that he bad proven
tickle and bad married another woman.
On visiting him on one occasion she took
the ma ter 80 much 10 heart that she
swooned. The girl took every occasion
10 talk OF this matter. According % her
own statement 10 Mrs. johnson, she was
the daughter Of an officer in the United
States army and was born liz Washing
ton. Her father was killed IN the war,
and her mother drew a large pension.
OF late years she has been earning her
own livelihood. She was seeking mis-.
sionary work in the Presbyterian Church