The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1891-02-05
How Many Wretched Girls
Are There in the City
Like Annie Nag1e?
HER NOVA sCOTIAN HOME.
Her WiIdness, Her Wanderings, Her
Efforts to Die, and the One
Love of Her Life.

tiFf NkWS yesterday, MrE. luohy,
humble woman. summed up the sad
career Of Annie Nagle, waif and suicide.
She was friendless to the very end, for
there was not soul to drop a tear over
the pauper's grave into which the rough
coffin containing her remains was lowered
this afternoon at Snake Hill
The body lay on a slab at Speer's
morgue for two days aud not a soul
claimed it. nobody but the reporters came
to look ut it even.
No father, no mother. no relative was
heard from. Even the girls beside whom
she worked or with whom she went
nights 10 the cheap balls and picnics had
forgotten her.
Who was shef Where did she come
fromf WHAT was the story OF her short
lifef
In a thorough search Yesterday was
unable to find a complete answer to these
questions. So far as l was able to CLEAN,
she left her parents in New Brunwick.
Nova Scotia, over year ago TO accept a
position as nurse in an Albany, n. T..
hospital. Her aunt was head nurse there.
just why she found the occupation dis
tasteful and drifted In this direction,
was unable TO ascertain.
This fact, however, did stumble upon,
and. IL true, it goes far to clear Thomas
Scanlon, OF No. PIT Westervelt street, who
is accused of conduct that led the girl TO
take her own lite.
At the home Of John Schmid, carpet
weaver, of No. 624 Summit avenue,
woman told me that the girl appeared
there two weeks ago with the janitor of
police station house. They engaged va
cant rooms as man and wife and the
janitor WAS to furnish the rooms. He
did not appear again and the unfortunate
girl disappeared after a stay OF TWO days
and nights. This woman told me that
during Annies stay in the house she
was quiet aud spent her time mainly In
making a blue flannel dress. She ap-
peared sad and worried and once or twice
referred incidentally TO her parents and
brothers without telling where they
lived.
PRISONER ONCE.
At the Oakland avenue station house
Captain Nose Newton remembered that
the girl was prisoner some time in July
or August last. She had been sentenced
TO ten days imprisonment along with
girl named O'Rourke. They were found
acting in disorderly manner in the de-
serted Old Bull Ferry Hotel, in the Fourth
police precinct. When her time had been
served Doorman Waite. a venerable,
gray haired old man, sec ured her services
as d1Scrub woman. She was pretty and
homeless. and evinced disposition to
earn an honest living. Her conduct while
employed at the station house was always
good.
When Pastor Andreae, of the German
Evangelical Church, Fairmount avenue,
was arrested on a charge Of disorderly
conduct at a church picnic. he happened
TO observe the girl. apparently living at
the station house, and complained to
Chief of Police Murphy, who summar1iY
ordered her dismissal from the station
house. 1t is not on record that Mr.. An
dreae did anything to procure another
shelter for the girl. Still the girl was en-
ployed at odd times to scrub the floors.
But it appears she became tired OF such
work after while, and having found
friend in Mrs. Tuohy, of No 652 Grand
street, turned the Jobs over TO the old
lady while she minded Mrs. Iuohy's
babies
| saw Mrs. Tuohy again late last night.
She said she became acquainted with the
girl by chance, and Annie only stopped
with her few days at time. and paid
for her lodging. She had incidentally re-
ferred to her folks living in Canada
Thomas Scanlon often met her on the
streets at night and accompanied her as
far as the door. but never came in. She
was always happy in his company.
AS to the story that the girl roomed
viii Mamie Kelly at No. 634 Summit
ay~hue, 1 could not prove this in my
last nights search. No. ga was occu-
pied by a Mrs. Rodgers. who had just
moved in with her family on Saturday
last. She knew nothing about either of
the girls, but the owner of the building,
who lives just across the street, assured
me that no such girls ever occupied
room in the house. / was told that Ma
mie Kelly was well known in the neigh
Dorhood and that / would probably find
her in the Washington Street Garden.
WHO WAS SHE THEN?
The assertion that the unfortunate girl
worked in pocketbook factory in Web
ster avenue some time ago, where she
was known as Annie Rooney" and that
she was a well-known ''spieler" at tine
summernights festivals and tough win
ter balls, was also disproved. Inquiry at
Mehps factory yesterday afternoon elic-
tied the fact that but two girls with
names that suggested that OF the suicide
were ever employed in the factory. One
of these was IA frail. red headed. freckle
faced girl who was known as Annie
Rooney" She was girl with temper
and upon one occasion, when teaSed by
crowd of young male employees, stabbed
one in the back with pair of scissors.
Her parents lived in the neighborhood.
The dead girl Was pronounced brunette.
A woman used to work there by the name
of Nagle, but she was well known and
was wholly different person.
TIE ROMANCE OF HER LIFE.
AT the City Hospital, was informed
that the suicide reluctantly made the
statement that she took poison TO hide
her shame she accused Scanlon; yet she
continually murmured. "Oh, Tom, why
don't you comet"
Patrolman Jones, who found the girl
suffering from the effects OF the poison
she had taken, on Summit avenue, near
Clinton avenue, was well acqusinted with
her. He had been often aecosted by her
ana asked If he had seen Tommy Scanlon.
II was plainly evident that she was
desperately in love with Scanlon She
watched for him at the corners in the
evening. and wrote letters to him which
Scanlon laughed at. Scanion did not re-
ciprocate her affection; ard he several
times ventured the confidential opinion
that the girl would ultimately get him
Into trouble
When tine Patrolman found the girl she
was surrounded by crowd of young
men. 1t was near midnight the crowd
called bis attention to the woman sitting
on the side Of yard terrace. She was sick.
and when asked wnat the matter was she
made no answer, but drew the unused
contents of box of poison from her
pocket and placed it significantly in his
hands
Thomas Scanlon, OF No. 81 Westervelt
street, VINO WAS arrested in connection
wi I'll the death OF Annie Nagle. was
A humorous fact about Hoods Sarsaparilla-
expels bad hrnlor and creareR saod humor.
Be Sure to get ilosf