New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1886-09-20
DROWNED:IN THE RESERVOIR
DID OLD MRS. WALL COMMIT sUICIDEi
IN HER EIGHTY-NINTH YEAR-THE WIDOW OF AN
OFFICER IN THE MEXICAN WAR;

IN HER EIGHTY-NINTH YEAR-rHE WIDOW or AN
OFFICER IN THE MEXICAN WAR.
Charles B. McGlOin, who is employed by
the fark Commissioners watchman at the reservoirs
In central Park, at 80 p m. yesterday found tho
body OF an aged woman In the Old lower reservoir
the Seventy -hth-st end. With the assistance
OF soma bystanders he drew the body out to the
bank and then informed the police sergeant on duty
at the Arsenal.
The wOman's hair almost white and the macy
wrinkles In her face IL dicated had lived nearly
a century She plain brown dress OF v oolIen
material and a quaint little bonns At her side was
bag containing worsteds and knitting needles and
II attached to her by band OF cloth tied about
her waist In ner pocket were two bits OF paper. On
one OF these the words:
Anderson. 22i East Eighty sly tl-st."
On the other the Words 81 live at o2i East
Eighty-sxth-st."
The Ioce sergeant ordered that the body be removed
to the Morgue and sent q to the address given
on the slips OF Taper inquire If any OF her de-
scripton missing. Early in the evening Byron
W. Anderson. of SO. l66 East sxty-sevonthst..
called at the Morgue and identified tho iody rs that OF
his grandmother Mrs. Elizabeth T. Wall.
Mrs. Wall eighty eight years old and had lived
for number OF years with her daughter. Lucetta r.
Anderson. the widow OF Major James Anderson of tho
Confederate Army. and a cousin of Major Ander son,
of Fort Sumter fame. They had ateiy moved to tho
apartment house at the address given on the papers
found IN Mrs Walls pocket. The old lady strong
willed and somewhat weak minded. She Tor
gettul mt times that when she went out Tor walk she
would frequently forget her way home. on one Occa-
sion she WAS taken by officer to q police station.
because OF her inability street in which
she lived It her habits. much against tho wishes
of her daughter to TO the banks OF the River
and the reservoirs in the Park and sit for hours knit
ting. Yesterday morning she left her home about
o'clock and was noxt heard OF in the Morgue.
Although her family strongly oppos, tie theory that
she committed suicide It is difficult To conceive how
got into the w.ttr unless Intentionally. rickes
fence about three feet hugh surrounds the reservoir
and this is far from the elge OF the embank-
she fell the fence and into It is believed
that she deliberately climbed the fence which must
have been a feat surrounded by many dilcul,ics tor
one or her age and jumped into tho water THIS belief
Is b0rno out by the report that saturday ad
Mrs. Thompson. one OF her neigbors that she thought
she had better be dead and til she would Kill herself
Her grandson explains the presence OF the papers
found her describing her residence the fact nat
she had been often lost that Mrs Anderson sometime
since contrved Ills means OF keeping her address
her mind
took the deposition OF Byron W. Anderson the grand
SON. He Issued death certificate and postponed the
inquest until later in the week. The iGneral will take
place on Tuesday and the burial will he in GREENWOOD
Mrs. Wall the wife or Major William Wall. who
was graduated from West Point III 1872. lie served
ID the United states Army until after the Mexican War;
when he was obliged To retire owlng to ply steal tn
frmltcs, and became professor OF mathematics In rho
college at Athens Ohio. While there he became mucn
Interested IN politics, at time state Com Aissoner
OF Public Works aud said to have leen the political
father OF senator Allen g.: Thurman and the lato
TOR time sort of political headquarters and Ills wlfo
became widely known among the prominent men of
aS aay IN 9So w @r nSF c hGspa @ sG %n 5
ten children, only two of wnoW are now living.