Mexico weekly ledger., 1892-02-18
Some Further Facts.
DEVELOPMENTS IN THE SAD SUICIDE
OF MISS ALICE HowLKTT.
Tho Rules Of Hardin College Regarding
Note Writing Not Following Duty
Lines closely-Memerial services.

Miss Hewlett was the victim of
sudden fits of melancholy; at times,
in the midst of gay laughter or
pleasant conversation, she would
suddenly lose interest and turn
away to seek solitude. She evident
ly swallowed laudanum while in
one of these moods. In slop-buck-
ct were found fragments of torn
paper, parts of letters that were
written and destroyed in the effort
to get the epistles to suit her ideas.
There was a portion of a note simi-
lar to the one sent for the lauda-
mum and one to iE. Kirby Smith,
which, it develops, is the name of
the young man in the case. There
was a letter to Miss Howlett's
youngest sister, Belle, in which the
statement is made that the writer is
well satisfied with Hardin College
and situated pleasantly. She asks
Belle to write often and to give her
(Alice's) love to all the family and
to certain friends and tokeep a great
deal for cher dear little SELF" 1t is
pitiful. This letter was evidently
written on Tuesday before the dread
melancholy attacked her.
Mr.. Hewlett, the father of the
young lady, arrived at ~ O'Clock
last night from Charleston. Accom-
panying him were his oldest daugh-
ter and an, undertaken from his
home. E. Kirby Smith was notified
by Miss Alice Howlett's sister and
he arrived from, Columbia short
time before the party from Charles
ton. All repaired to Hardin College,
where the BODY was placed in me-
tallic casket. The party left for
Charleston over the Wabash at a..
m. Mr.. Smith, who is gentleman
of much intelligence, was grief
stricken. He could not believe
Miss Hewlett took the laudanum
with suicidal intent. Mrs. Hewlett,
the dead girls mother, is lying very
i'll with pneumonia in Charleston.
The LEDGER was given positive
information yesterday that Hardin
College possessed rules as to the
writing of notes and that the form
used in Miss Howlett's note was the
one prescribed by the college au-
thorities for use where anything is
wanted from town. Prof. A. K.
Yancey, in conversation with a LED
GER reporter to-day, stated that this
is positively the opposite of the real
| facts. He says one of the most
stringent rules of the institution is
the one which positively prohibits
note-writing or the carrying of notes
by the servants.
The two who were implicated il
the delivery of Miss Howlett's note
were "Doc." McGee, and cd" the
colored boy: These two were releas
ed last year for carrying notes ane
though guilty of failing to implicitly
obey instructions in the present case
there are mitigating circumstances
They failed to think. When "Doc'
was handed the note to Buckner'
| drug store, he should have asked i
| it was from the governess. Whel
"Edn started to the governess' room
with the laudanum, he should no
have given it to Miss Hewlett whel
i. he met her on his way. Everythin
J, pertaining to the wants of the girl
is supposed to pass through tn
hands of the governess, Miss Dun
can.
Professor Yancey, desiring tha
the official facts, from letters in hi
possession and facts by him CLEAR
ed, be made known, will write
communication for publication i
n the local newspapers. This will b
C of some length and interesting.
: will be ready for publication in
: day or two.
s All unite in the Just conclusio
that no blame can be attached
- anyone for the deplorable death of
lovable young lady. There is nj
"vail of charity" to be thrown ov
the sad circumstances. There is I
need of vail--it is one Of tho
deeds which smack of heaven, ar
n nothing need be concealed. II
y more facts learned the less can ce
te sure fall on any.
Ii MEMORIAL SERVICES.
Memorial services were held in &
g College chapel Thursday mornin
g, February 18th, ,at 8 80 O'Clock. Re
I'd A. E. Rogers, pastor of the Bapt
p Church, read Ecclesiastes, 18th cha
ter, and offered afervent prayer. T
! services then proceeded as follow
or REMARKS BY PRESIDENT YASCEY
:, The death Of Alice Hewlett, by |
ba own hand, at Hardin College Feb
ary 10th, naturally provokes ankle
inquiry as to the cause leading to I
in sad end. / have taken pains to C
ke lect such facts in her life as seem
re bear on the subject. She was in ]
'ut 18th year at the time of her dea
While apparently strong and robu
nd she had always complained of