St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1888-02-05
AFTER THE DEED.

of the deadly poison still. The body
was rigid when Coroner Quinn arrived.
The features, which would have been
fair, were terribly distorted, indicating
the agony which the young suicide had
suffered.
Mrs. HolcOmb came and tainted when
she behcld the remains OF her sister,
Louise. When she recovered from the
first shock she opened the letter ad-
dressed to her. There were fifteen
pages closely written, but only portions
of the contents We're made known to the
coroner. Louise stated that she had
CONTEMPLATED SUICIDE
for some time. Her first plan was to
take pruSSic acid. which she had tried
to buy at several drug stores, but had
been unable to procure. Friday she
succeeded in purchasing the arsenic at
Becker'S drug store, on East Seventh
street.
Friday evening she registered at the
NicOllet hotel, telling the clerk that she
had no money and was stranger in the
city, but that her husband would call
for her in Il few days. Her bag
gage consisted of only a small
hand satchel, but her manner
was earnest and assuring. She was
shown to a pleasant room OF the second
floor, and, after making her toilet, ap-
peared in the dining-roOm for supper
She ate a hearty meal, and laughed and
chatted with the waitress for some time
After supper she put on her wraps and
went to the ice palace grounds, where
she stayed with the Mardi Gras masqu-
erS until 10 o'clock. Returning to the
hotel she exchanged few words with
the clerk, and, taking a quantity of let
ter-paper and envelopes, went to her
room. The clerk remarked in a joking
way as she turned to go: "Be sure and
don't blow out the gas" and she replied
with a laugh: Il guess l know better
than that"
Probably she did know better, but yes
terday morning Mr.. Swanson. walking
through the second floor corridor. dis
covered strong smell of escaping gas,
which he traced to Miss Kahler's room.
The door was locked, but the transom
was partly open. he burst in the door
at once, but the
GAS AND ARSENIC
had completed their deadly work long
before.
The suicide was twenty-five years of
age, plump of figure, and fair of face,
She was born and reared at Mankato.
Mimi, where her parents still reside.
Three years ago she married travel
ing salesman named Kahler, and they
had one child who died in its infacy. In
her letter to her sister she expresses
desire to be buried by the side of the
child in Mankato. She lived with her
husband little more than year, en-
during all sorts of abuse and maltreat-
ment at his hands. He finally deserted
her, and soon after the child died. She
supported herself by teaching school,
until few months ago, when she came
to live with Mrs. HolcOmb in st. Paul,
and took up the study of shorthand.
She has another sister living at 21O
Thirteenth street, with whom she
visited part of the time. She
was an intelligent, accomplished
girl, of cheerful disposition,
but her unhappy marriage and the loss
of her child brought grief from which
she did not recover. Lately she had
been unusually Respondent, but had
never given anyone the slightest init
nation that she would end her life. A
copy book full OF incoherent shorthand
notes was found among her effects, and
there is little doubt but that her mind
was diSordered.
In compliance with her last request,
Coroner Quinn ordered the body taken
to her sisters house. No inquest will
no held