Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-07-20
A FATAL PREDICTION.
Jennie Mcdonald Driven to a Sui
cide's Death in che River by
TIE PROPHECIES OF A SORCERESS.
Inspector MoKslvey to Thoroughly lnVes'
tigate the Case.
THE POOR GIRLS BODY RECOVERED

The body of Miss Jennie Mcdonald, Of
Duquesne, who threw herself into the
Monongahela river on Thursday evening,
was recovered yesterday. The Coroner will
hold an inquest on the body tomorrow.
The suicide has created great sensation
in Duquesne and on the Southside. The
fact that she had had her fortune told, in
which her death had been predicted
within a few weeks. and that she
would be buried in her wedding dress,
preyed on her mind to such an extent
that she verified the prediction by
committing suicide. The young lady was
bright, intelligent and apparently above
such thing as superstition, YET when
sorceress happened to hit upon few facts
in her life she thought all that was pre-
dicted would surely take place, and ended
her life rather than live to. see its possible
verifcation.
There Is great indignation upon the
Southside. and even in other sections Of the
city, over Miss McDonald's death, which
seems to have been FASTENED at least BY this
fortune telling business.
SCARED BY A soRcEREss.
death that she had called on Mrs. Smith,
the well-known fortune teller of the South
side, in company with young lady friend
who is not now known, but whose first name
is Annie. and that Mrs. Smith predicted her
death some time prior to August Z.
Mrs. Smith emphatibally denies that
Miss Mcdonald ever patronized her. But
her stories, as reported, do not agree. When
first interviewed she said she had been away
from home for week and It could not be
possible that Miss Mcdonald had called on
her, but when it transpired that Miss Nc
Donald's visit was ten days ago she said she
had been away for two weeks.
| Mrs. Smith is we'll educated, comely
looking woman of fine appearance and good
address, but with decisive and emphatic
air, not to say temper. She was once
teacher in the Bedford school, and doubtless
her experience in that line led her to notice
the susceptibility of human nature and
opened up the way for her present business.
She has been doing big business in fortune
| telling on the Southside, and people come
from all sides to have her unfold the future
for them.
| WILL PUSH THE CASE.
| MISS mcOOudlu DOuy was IOuQQ yeBLeE-
| day in the river at Duquesne, not far from
where her hat and coat were found on the
river bank. The Coroner's inquest will
doubtless cause a thorough investigation
into the fortune-telling business. Inspector
McKelvy said last night:
| 'This is indeed a sad case. There is an
old law against fortune tellers and sorcerers,
but it has had so little application as to be
a dead letter. The fact that Mrs. Smith
has been doing big fortune-telling busi
ness can easily be established, but whether
she is concerned in this particular case we
no not know. Action will be taken, even
if no information is made, as the cireum-
stances seem. to justify it. am
told that people go to Mrs. Smith
in great numbers to have their
fortunes told and they are not always the
class that one would think would do such a
thing, but respectable and wealthy people
who drive up in their carriages. Rest as
sured this case will be fully Investigated"
A BIG BUSINESS.
Inquiry among the neighbors of Mrs.
Smith confirmed the statement that Mrs
Smith has been doing big and very profit
able business, but since the sad outcome OF
Miss McDonald's tortune-telling ex experience,
everybody was very reticent in speaking of
the matter. Many Of Mrs. Smiths neigh
DorS give ner an excellent character so TAR
as they know, but say they were always q
little at sea regarding the legitimacy of her
business.
The inquest on Miss MeDonald's remains
will be held on Monday. In the meantime,
very energetic efforts are being made to
learn who the young woman is who accom-
panied her to Mrs. Smiths house when the
fatal forecast was made.
A DISPATCH reporter called at Mrs.
Smiths house last night, but was informed
that she was out of the city. Her where
aboutscould not be learned.