Daily Republican., 1885-09-26
Driven to Suicide.
MRS. sPANG, OF READING, ,sHA Am
ED INTO TAKING HER
OWN LITE.
S H E TAX ESP OLSON

READING, Sept. 25-The slander suit
OF Mrs. Robert W. Spang, of this city,
against her niece, M iss Lottie Harvey,
ended yesterday In q verdict for the
defendant and was followed to-day by
Mrs. Spang's suicide. Mr.. Spang is
foreman in his brothers electrical es-
tablishment, on Court, above Seventh
street, this city He appeared In court
before Judge Hagenman as one Of the
plaintiffs in the slander suit. Miss
Harvey, . girl of 10, is the daughter of
Mrs. Spang's sister.
The allegations we're that Miss Har-
vey, both In Reading and Philadelphia,
made use of words derOgatory to the
character Of Mrs Spang, accusing her
OF being q disreputable, and declarin z
that no one of any consequence would
associate with her. Owing to the re-
spectability OF the parties the trial at
tracted q throng. Both sides had able
counsel.
FEATURES OF THE CASE.
Mrs. Spang, whose age was about
I37 years, was dark k.complexioned,
nervous, thin woman OF medium
height, with very black hair, worn in
waves. She was constantly in Court
aud intent upon the proceedings. She
frequently burst into tears, and ap
peared intensely mortified rs the testi.
mony developed.
] The defense was that Miss Harvey
| had not made any direct charges
against Mrs. Spang that Miss Harvey
had visited the Spangs, and that while
there Mrs. Spang made damaging re.
marks aga inst MissH Harvey's o father, and
that then NJ lss Harvey said II Mrs
Harvey said sue b things she was moi
respectable. The plaintiff showed by
witnesses from Philadelphia that Mrs
Harvey had repeated the conversation
there
Judge Hagenman, in his charge, told
the jury that II they found for thu
defendant 1t could by no means be con
strued that Miss Harvey's charge wal
true, because the defendant claimed
that she had not spoken the words
The jury thought 1t was simply wore
lQnarrel among women, and that thu
case should not have been brought into
court at all. They accordingly founo
TOR the defendant. The verdict had ;
crushing effect on Mrs, Spang. Sb'
said that II meant that Miss Harvey
charge against her was true, and tha
people would 30 construe it. Sh
became nervous, agitated and wep
pitifully. At last she told her HUSBAND
that she would drown herself.
They retired last night at 0 O'Clock
Mr.. Spang comforting his wife, an
obtaining her promise that she woul
do nothing rash. At 10 O'Clock b
awoke, and found his wife in anothe
room. He induced her to retire, an
she again promised not to do any:hin
wrong.
HER FANCIED SHAME UNBEATABLE
/ At 3 o'clock this morn ing Mr.. Span
, was awakened by his wife's calls. II
buried down stairs, and found her
J | ing on lounge. She said: Rober
don't want TO live any longer. Ths
Verdict has made my life miserable
, and 1 can't stay here any longer.
, want to die. have taken poison
| Good-by."
:, The frightened husband hastily sun
7 moned DR.. Loose, but 1t was too late
4 The dying wife was then suffering ter
rible agony. She confessed that a
hour before she had taken half tabl,
I, lspoonful of ratsbane, a posion thi
had been bought year ago. 81
i, pointed to o table drawer, where rt
had IL concealed. " hen asked II
; minister should be summoned she shoe
4 her head negatively.
The death scene was agonizing. tn
" husband exclaimed that the threat th
his family should be broken up VI
complete The wife died At 4 o'cloc