Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1891-08-11
WEARY OF BREATH,
Rashly ImpOrtunate Gone TO Fer
Death
Hat lie Roofs suicide at the ~
James HOtet-She Takes Nor
Dhine and Dies From Its
Efects-Coroner
Inquest.

dining girl the past fe " weeks, and
although it was known to the help that
she had gentlemen callers. it was not sup
posed from her actions that she had con-
templated suicide. Shortly after -
o'clock the cook, who occupied an sd-
joining room, heard her moaning and at
once notified Landlord Ryan, and the
two proceeded to her room, where
the young girl was found stretched upon
her bed in an Unconscious con-
diuon, while beside her were
number of letters and
box on which was written morphine,
poison" Horst Won Koeckritz, the drug
gist underneath the hotel was immediate
ly notified and he at once summoned DR..
Ludewig. Mr.. Won Koeckritz then went
up stairs and he together with Mr.. Ryan
and wife worked with the unfortunate
girl until the arrival of the doctor shortly
afterward. The doctor administered an
tidotes and applied current to assist
respiration, but it was too late The girl
became gradually weaker and at 2:S5 life
fed.
A letter was found near BY which had
evidently been written shortly before, and
from which it would appear that there is
something connected with the case which
| letter reads as follows:
DEAR FRIENDS: If have any, forgive
me for causing you This trouble, but life
/ is simply unbearsble TO me- l have no
| friends nor home, and death is best for
me. Goodbye. Should letter come for
! me please bury it with me unopened and
| fulfill the dying wish of
| HATTIE RooT.
| Farewell forever.
After her death Coroner Halves was
imme diately summoned and impanneled
q Jury consisting of Horst Won Koeckritz
| (foremsn} T. j. Murphy, Charles R.
| Wheelan. Thomas J. NormoYle, Capt.
George Long and John Muloueen. and
the inquest was held at 8 o'clock this
morning.
DR.. LuGewig was the first witness ex-
amined. He testified as to his being
called at about 80 o'clock to attend the
girl who bad evidently taken poison.
Witness administered the proper snLidotes
and applied current to assist respiras
ton. the girl was in an unconscious
condition and continued to grow weaker
until her death at 2:35 clock.
T. J. Ryan, proprietor of the hotel,
was the next witness examined and he
testified to being called by the cook and
finding the girl IN the con ditioa as above
stated, and having assisted il applying
restorativeS. Witness also testified to
conversation which he had with the girl
on Sunday last in which she referred to a
young man who was employed as q cook
at the Rock Island house, where she had
previously worked, saying that he was
going away with the Rod nan Rifles, and
tnnt she did not think he would return,
and adding that she did not think she
would wait for him.
Horst Won Koeckritz, who was the last
witness, testified to being called as above
stated, and rendering what assistance he
could
The jury retired and shortly after re-
turned a verdict that Hattie Root "came
to her death by poison administered by
her own hand at Rock Island, at about
. o'clock Aug II, 1881"
The young man to whom the girl re-
ferred was Charlie Brown who was
cook ct the Rock Island house at the
time the girl worked there, and from let
tiers which were found in the dead girls
possession, it would seem that mutual
admiration existed between the two. A
number of other letters among which was
one from one Chsuncey Davis, of Daven-
port. and one from one jim Repine, of
Springfield. Ii . were found.
The case is q sad one. inasmuch as tie |
girl, it is reported, was of modest de- |
meanor, and was what might have been |
called good looking, and being thrown
upon her own resources hsd come among |
strangers, where. in a nome ut of desper- |
alton, she had taken her own life. Mes
sages have been sent to the addresses in
her possession. and the body is at Vince
lan's undertaking room. awaiting reply
from the kilograms.
A telegram was received this afternoon
from c. B. Root, of Springfield, the faith
er of the girl, containing instructions to
make the interment here. she will prob
ably be buried at the county's expense
unless Undertaken Wheelan succeeds in
gaining further information from her rel
atives.
Simon & Mosenfelder's bDys' clothing |