Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1890-03-24
A WACO SUICIDE.
Mrs. John 2. McCabe Seeks Death By
Drowning in the Reservoir.
Continued Poor Health Since Last November
the Alleged Cause - Her Husband
Prominent Business Man.
special to the Gazntte.

Special to the Gazette.
WACO, TEX. March 23.-The city was
thrown into considerable excitement this
morning by the report that Mrs. MoCabe,
wife of Mr.. John P. McCabe, was miss
ing, and that the supposition was that
| SIZE had drowned herself in the great
reservoir of the Waco water and power
company. The suppUsition was strength
ened by the report that some ribbon had
been found hanging to the fence that
encloses the tank
What first directed attention to the
reservoir was the return of little New
foundland dog from that direction,
thoroughly wet. The dog had not been
missed before, but that he had followed
his mistress away was evident, because
he could not have escaped from the yard
alone. A large crowd of people gath
cred on the banks of the great tank,
hooks improvised and the drag
giug then commenced. 1t was
not, however, prosecuted with
very great vigor until your reporter,
who was among others sceptical as to
Mrs. McCabe s being in the tank, began
q search around the outside Of the en-
closure for a clew and found a slipper,
which was recognized as belonging to
Mrs. McCabe. This seemed to convince
everybody that the lady had committed
suicide and was then in the tank.
Suspense deepened and hope faded
away. The dragging continued and in
few minutes, sure enough, the body of
the unfortunate lady was pulled to the
surface. Her husband who was present,
and who had hoped against everything
that she might not be dead turned away
as the pale face of his dead wife was
brought to view and with shudder the
echo, as it were, of the terrible blow he
walked away, supported by several
friends.
The remains of the poor woman were
viewed by the coroner, Judge j T. Har-
rison, and were removed to the family
residence, only few blocks away.
Mr.. John P. McCabe is a member of
the firm of q. Fl. Randall s. Co. cotton
factors in this city, and is also president
of the National compress company. His
wife's health has been bad since the
birth Of an only child in November
last, and about two weeks
ago her mind began failing, and she has
been under treatment of physicians
since. Her mother was staying at her
house and watching over her. Although
she had not indicated q desire to commit
suicide it was thought necessary, under
the circumstances, to keep an attendant
near her most of the time for fear afflic-
ton might lead her to rashness. But
the watchfuI care o. a mothers love and
a husbands devotion availed nothing,
and q demented wife and daughter es-
capes their vigilance, and through the
darkness between 4 and O'Clock in
the morning deliberately walks away to
her destruction.
She first went, about o CLOCK, to her
mothers room and, awaking her, COM
planned of her inability to afford nourish-
ment for her baby, but did not seem the
least excited. She soon left, and her
mother thought she had returned to her
husband IS room. Just before 'clock
her absence was discovered, and soon
after the little dog came back. Poor
fellow, he had no doubt plunged into the
tank and battled with the deadly waves
that were strangling his mistress, and,
finding his efforts fruitless, fastened
home, clothed in the weapons she had
used to destroy herself.
The fence around the reservoir is made
of Stats and wire. up to a height of five
feet, and above that q number of bar bed
wires are stretched to keep out intruders.
Mrs. MoCabe evidently attempted to get
through the fence on tie south
side where the shoe was found;
failing in this she walked around the
fence until she arrived at the artesian
well pipe where she gained entrance by
getting on a bench standing near the
fence.
The excitement caused by the first re-
port has subsidized into sadness and gloom,
everyone feeling that it is the most hor-
rible tragedy that has occurred in Waco
for years.