Los Angeles daily herald., 1890-01-16
CORONER'S INQUEsTs.
Mrs. r. G.. Hutchins Found
Drowned in a Park.
THE CAUSE OF HER ACTION

The Bones of Man Found in tn
Smoking Ashes of Hay
Stack.
One of the saddest affairs that has eve
taken place in this city was reported
yesterday. 1t was the death by drown.
ing of Mrs. Harriet j. Hutchins, wife o.
Robert g. Hutchins, pastor of the First
Congregational church., On Tuesday
afternoon, at 80 O'Clock. Mrs. Hutch.
ins left her home, on the corner of Olive
and Pico streets, to attend the funeral
of friend at the church, at Sixth and
Hill. streets. After this service, the
ladies of the church, including Mrs.
Hutchins, held a meeting in the vestry-
room, and at it's conclusion the pastor e
wife, who was always ready to do an act
of kindness, visited poor family on
Sixth street. She left there about A
o'clock and was seen and spoken to by
Mics G. Keys and Mrs. Case who were
driving along Seventh street, walking in
the direction of tho park, at about 5
O'Clock. The ladies stopped on seeing
Mrs. Hutchins at such long distance
from home. and Mrs. Case expressed her
regret that there was not room in the
carriage for her, but she stated that she
wanted walk and would rather do 30
than ride. The two ladies drove on for
a block or so, and turning round passed
Mrs. Hutchins, bowling to her as they
did 80, on their return to town; and from
that time until early yesterday morning
no trace of her could be discovered.
AS his wife did not return home to tea
as usual, DR.. Hutchins came to the con-
clusion that she had been invited to par
take of the evening meal with friends, 80
as to avoid the necessity OF going out
home and returning for the evening
meeting at the church. On his arrival
at the church he was surprised to learn
that she was not there, nor had she ap.
pgrently been visiting any of their
friends, most of whom were present.
Nothing serious was apprehended, how
ever, until the doctor returned home
after the meeting and discovered that his
wife had not yet put in an appearance.
After hasty but unavailable search in
the neighborhood, the doctor became
alarmed for his wife's safety and about
10 O'Clock reported the matter to the
police. A description of the missing
lady was given to several of the detect
ives, and she was traced up to o'clock
readily, but from that time no clue as to
her whereabouts could be obtained.
About 7 80 O'Clock yesterday morning
a message was received by telephone at
ihSPolic Station to the effect that the
special officer at the Westlake park had
found the body of woman floating in
Une lake ana nxu dragged II ashore
Sergeant Morton was at once dispatched
to the park, and the Coroner was mott.
fed of the occurrence, as was also DR..
Hutchins. On the arrival of the latter,
the body was readily identified as that Of
his wife, and it was subsequen ly con
veyed to the morgue but at the request
of DIR. Hutchins it was removed to the
parlors of Messrs. Peck, Sharp & Nietzke,
at which place Coroner Meredith held ali
inquest at o'clock last evening.
For some time past Mrs. Hutchins had
been suffering from melancholia, and
had been treated by DR.. H. II. Maynard.
She recovered to great extent during
the summer months of last year, but
with the winter came a renewed attack
of mental depression, which, combined
with severe physical suffering, caused by
a disease of the alimentary organs, rem
dered life misery. She was left alone
as seldom as possible at this stage of her
illness, as it was feared that she might
in her mental alteration attempt to do
herself some injury. She seemed greatly
improved of late, however, and though
still depressed, was apparently sane, and
it was this condition of affairs which
gave her husband such cause for alarm
at her mysterious disappearance. 1t was
thought that the death of her son, who
was accidentally drowned with a com.
panion named Averill, in the reservoir in
East Los Angeles, had something to do
with her melancholy, for she grieved con.
siderably over his loss.
At the inquest last night DR.. H. III
Maynard was the first witness exam
ined. He testified that early in the
spring of last year he was called upon to
attend Mrs. Hutchins, who was suffering
from melancholia. She recovered, how
ever, after being treated by him for some
time, and he heard nothing of his patient
until few weeks ago, when he was again
called in to prescribe for her, and he
continued to do so until about a week
ago. In his opinion the mental depres
sion of his patient would have continued
and might have been considerably ag-
gravated between that time and Tues.
day evening. The witness stated that
DR.. Hutchins had told him that bis wife
after her recovery last summer, fre.
quently spoke of the overwhelming
sense of the depression she had passed
through and that she also told him tina,
she would have taken her life if she
could have done 80 without disgracinp
her family.
Miss Cordelia Keyes and Mrs. Case
both testified as to having seen Mrs
Hutchins on Seventh street about {
O'Clock on Tuesday afternoon, watkins
towards the lake.
Mrs. j. X. Newton, a school teacher
stated that she had known the deceased
for several years. She was q bearer o.
other peoples burdens, and was univer.
sally beloved by all who knew her. o.
late she had suffered from mental depres
sion caused by severe physical suffering
Rev. W. A. James testified as to the
anxiety of DIR. Hutchins and his family
on the non-arrival of Mrs. Hutchins a
tea time, somewhat strange event fol
one who was so careful in her attention
to home duties. He detailed the cir
| cumstancea of her husband's fruit.