Los Angeles daily herald., 1890-02-12
TWO SUICIDES.
l Woman Kills Herself
With a Quick Poison.
INQUESTS BY THE CORONER,
The Italian Shoemaker's Wife Tells
the Story of Her Treatment
by Her Husband.

Coroner Meredith held an inquest at
O'Clock last evening at No. 20 Amelia
street, upon the body of Mrs. Antonia de
Hillmeyer, a native of San Jacinto, 29
years of age. who committed suicide yes
terday afternoon by poisoning herself.
From the testimony adduced it was
learned that the deceased was formerly
the wife of Richard Laughliu, from
whom she was divorced. For some time
past she had been despondent on account
of her troubles, and had during that time
made four attempts upon her own life,
the last occasion being about ten days
ago, when she took a dose of morphine.
which, however, had no effect beyond
making her sick. About l O'Clock
yesterday afternoon she was seen going
in the direction of saloon, where
she procured bottle of whiskey; and
on her return home she sent one of her
children to her sister, Miss Anita Laugh
lin, who lived at No. 20 Huber street.
Her little nine-year-old boy, Willie, was
sent to the house of r. L. Bouchet,
Frenchman with whom che was alleged.
to have cohabited, with the request that
he come to her. Bouchet at once
hitched up his horse and drove to Ame-
liza street, and found her lying on bed,
with towel thrown over her face, cry.
ing bitterly. He asked her what was
the cause of her trouble, and she replied
that she knew God didn't want her in
the other world, because she had tried to
die four times and had failed. He be-
came alarmed on finding that she was
sick, and as quickly as possible
drove over to her sisters house
and asked her to come quick to
Antonia. as he believed she had
poisoned herself again, and they returned
together. Miss Anita Laughlin found
her sister lying on the floor at tha foot of
the bed and attempted to raise her up,.
but after gasping family the unfortunate
woman dropped back dead. DR.. 7. ].
McCarty was summoned by Bouchet,
but he at once pronounced life extinct,
and gave it as his opinion that prussic
| acid or oil of bitter almonds had been
taken to cause death. All empty whiskey
bottle was found under the table in the
dead woman's room, and bottle con-
tsining some of the acid was discovered
in a chest in an adjoining room. The
sister of the deceased states that Antonia
had told her that she was tired of life, as
she had disgraced herself and had
endured SO much trouble, both with the
last man she lived with and her
former husband. On another occasion
che stated that Laughlin had threatened
to take his children away from her, but
that if he attempted to do so she would
kill them both and then commit suicide.
The jury returned verdict to the effect
that the deceased came to her death by
an overdose of prussic acid or oil of
almonds, taken by herself with intent to
commit suicide while suffering from
melancholia.
A few months ago Mrs. Antonia de
Laughlin created a sensation by shoot.
ing at Mrs. Robarts, the divorced wife of
a prominent attorney, during q fit of
jealousy. She accused the latter woman
with having attempted to ALLEVIATE the
affections of Bouchet, and when Mrs.
Robarts denied the allegation Antonia
fred at her with a revolver. She was
arrested for the offense, and after the
case had dragged along for several
months, was finally ordered to pay fine
of $50.