The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1891-08-11
FROM THE THIRD STORY.
An Old Lady. Mrs. Louisa Mead, Falls that
Distance, Killing Her Instantly.

Yesterday morning at an early hour the
police were notified of fatal accident
which occurred at the st. Francis hospital
some time Monday morning. Officers
were at once dispatched to the scene and
there found the dead body of Mrs Louisa
Mead, who had fallen from window in
the third story Of the hospital during the
night.
On last Friday afternoon Mr.. r. R. Hat
field, of this city, took his mother, Mrs.
Mead, an old lady aged rs years, to the st.
Francis hospital for care, as that gentle
mans wife was in bad health and could
not give the old lady the care she should
receive. AS is usual with the advancing
years, she had become childish. After
Mr.. Hatfield had assured the sisters, who
are In charge of the institution, that the
lady was in no way mentally deranged,
they accepted her and Immediately as
! signed her neat room on the third floor
/ This room is situated in the norwest corner
OF the hospital aud has two windows. From
her room there is an opening into
smaller room, which has a window, but
! considerably smaller than the others
The sisters state that the old lady was
| perfectly satisfied excepting at such times
! when she would speak Of her two chill
/ dren, who were in school, she said. She
asked TO be allowed to go TO them and &C
company them from school. At all other
| times she would talk pleasantly with her
attendants. She at no time manifested
! any signs of insanity, and seemed perfect
! ly satisfied With her rooms and surround
lngs. Last Saturday, while Sister Mech
Tides. who is in charge, and who speaks
ana understands the English language
! quite well (the institution is con-
Quoted by German sisters) was away.
Mrs Mead spoke to some of the
attendants who could not understand all
she said, and upon being alone left the
house. Her absence was quickly discov-
| cred, when immediate search was made,
which resulted in finding the unfortunate
woman short distance from the build
lngs. She returned thither very willing
ly, only asking that her children might be
taken to her.
Her people called later that day and
were duly informed of the occurrence The
sisters were told that the patient would
sometimes lapse into that condition, at
which times they should lock her in her
room. This was done and when no one
was with the patient her door was kept
under lock for fear that the old lady, who
was nearly blind, would fall down the
stairs or otherwise hurt herself The sis |
ters performed many kindnesses for the |
aged grandmother, at which the old lady |
seemed very much pleased, and when her |
meals were brought her she would insist |
that one of the sisters eat with her, for |
company, and she would accordingly di- |
vide with her companion. On Sunday |
evening the lady was given her supper at |
e O'Clock as usual. She ate this with ap-
parent relish and soon after retired At 9 |
o'clock sister went into the room and |
found the old lady resting quietly and |
sound asleep. The sister closed all |
the windows in her room and |
opened the small window in the |
adjoining room a short distance from the
top for ventilation. The door was then
locked and the inmates retired
Yesterday morning at about $50 o'clock
the sisters were astir, earlier than usual,
as it was wash cay" at the hospital A
sister, who had been outside, rushed in
very much frightened and informed Sister
Mechtildes that she had discovered dead
woman lying under one of the windows.
The good sisters called upon a patient,
man who was able to be around, to go out
with them to investigate Here they
found the dead body of Mrs. Mead She
was clad only in her night clothes, and
was lying upon her face. The third Win
dow from the south on the west wall of
the third story was standing open. At
this juncture the authorities were notified
and word sent to Father Deem. The body
was taken to Kendall S undertaking rooms,
where the remains now lie. The coroner's
inquest was held, and verdict that the
victim came to her death by an accident
was rendered. The deceased will be in
TERED today at 8 o'clock in Grant town
ship, twelve miles from town, at the spot
where her husband lies buried.
Mrs. Louisa Mead is a grandmother of
Hon. Rudolph Hatfield. of the West Side.
The case is a sad one. 1t is surnised that !
he old lady fell from the window, where !;
he had gone to get some fresh air, very .
This theory is strengthened by )
he statements Of the sisters, who can not .
believe that the patient had any suicidal |
mentions