St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1890-01-04
RUINED BY MORPHINE.
A Once Beautiful Woman Found Lying
in the Street.
STORY.
PATHETIC
She Spends Her Last Cent For
Whisky and Begs For a
Bed.
San Francisco Examiner.

Dali rIallClSCO
Help! Pm poisoned!"
1t was l o'clock yesterday morning
when Officer l.. NJ. Benjamin heard the
faint cry issuing from little alley lead
ing off McAllister street. Pecring into
the darkness he saw frail little woman
huddied close in the shadow Of the
building. She was in helpless cOndi-
ton, and moaned pitifully as he picked
her up and carried her into the light.
She was elegantly attired in gray
walking dress and wrap. \ wealth OF
faXen hair hung in disorder down her
back. Her blue eyes were half closed
and her face as pale as death.
The officer placed her in a cab and
carried her to the City Receiving hoSpi-
tai. On the way she told in hall
daZed way that she lived in San Jose.
She had come TO San Francisco for q
purpose, and had taken ergot to ac-
cOmpliSh it.
At the hospital she gave the name of
Mary Brown. There was no odor no.
ticeable of the pungent drug which she
said she had taken, and upon again
being questioned she said she had taken
morphine and whisky. She was treated
accordingly, and and at 6 o'clock in the
morning left the hospital with the mat
ron to go to the Grand hotel, where she
was stopping.
PENNILESS AND HOMELESS.
On the way she said that her name
was not Mary Brown. but that she had
assumed it to hide her identity; that
her family name was Rlddell, and that
her mother resided in San Jose; that
she had been married TO man named
Wainwright, who was at present in
Paris, but that her name was now Mrs,
Pray.
At the hotel 1t was learned that she
had arrived on Tuesday afternoon and
registered as Mrs. c. ID. Bancroft. She
was given room, and Immediately
ordered bottle of wine. She left there
late in the afternoon, and had not been
seen afterward.
When she presented herself at the
hotel yesterday morning with the
matron of the hospital she was refused
room, as she had no money. She
opened her trunk in search of some,
disclosing an elegant wardrobe and two
empty whisky bottle. She then left the
hotel.
Inquiry developed the fact that she
was once a noted belle of San Fran
cisco. Her parents were wealthy, and
she, being an only child. enjoyed every
advantage that money could procure.
She drove about Iown in an elegant
pony phaeton, her exquisite beauty at
tracing many admirers. About five
years ago she was married to Fred
Pray. the photographer. For a time
they lived happily together. but she had
acquired taste tor liquor which soon
became uncomfortable. Her first Of
lenses were condoned, but she became
IN aDliataI N fc hot htrr lNo, Il
was compelled to separate from her.
HER LOVE FOR LIQUOR.
She afterward suffered from paralysis,
and TO alleviate her sufferingS used hy-
podeTmic injections of morphine. It
was but a short time before she was
confirmed morphine fiend using large
quantities of the opiate. Since the sep
aration from her husband, solne two
years ago, she has frequently visited
San Francisco, and, free from the re-
Straint of her parents, INDUCED in LIQUOR
and morphine, until at times she had
been on the verge of insanity.
THE and again has her mother
secured San FranciSO in search of her
unfortunate daughter and taken her to
her elegant home in San Jose.
Long and patient have been her en-
deaVors to Wean the daughter from her
devOuring appetite for liquor. and each
time, just when she hoped that her eff
forts were 10 meet with success, has the
daughter fallen.
Yesterday she wandered about the
streets all day, hungry, tired, penniIess
and friendless. In the evening she
went from one hotel to another in
search of bed, but always receiving
the same reply: I'VE have none for
you"
In her desperation she at last offered
her only possession, tiny silver hypo-
dermic syringe, the instrument of her
ruin, to which she had chung 20 the
last, for place to lay her head.