San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1892-11-25
A STRANGE SUICIDE.
THE BODY OF MRS. PAsSAENT
FOUND NEAR ALAMO
HEIGHTS.
Water Her Doom-FamiIy Troubles
and Sickness the Cause
Her Daughters Sus-
ptCions.

About the hour of 4:30 yesterday after
noon, telephone message was received
at police headquarters, to the effect that
a woman had been found at the
lower pump house of the Water
Works company, supposed to have sui
cided by drowning. The officers notified
Coroner Jones, and he, with Constable
Brown, repaired to the scene. Upon their
arrival they found the the body, partly
clothed in velvet basque and had on a
petticoat for a skirt. While the coroner
was viewing the surroundings, a man,
AnaStacio LlOrente, who works at the
the pump house, appeared and notified
the officer that some clothing had been
found about one half of a mile up the
race. The place was reached and there
was found black hat and dressSkirt to
match the basque worn by the lady.
The clothes were wrapped up and the
parties were about to start back TO the
spot where the deceased lay, when one of
the party noticed a silk handkerchief
which probably had fallen from the
pocket Of the skirt. In this was found a
note. which read as follows: Mrs. I'll.
Passaent, No. 1911 Pine street" As soon
as the name was read it was remembered
that the woman was the wife of form r
sanitary inspector.
No sooner had they returned to the
place where the body was lying, when
young lady approached and seeing the
body exclaimed: my God! 1t is my
mother" At this she began crying. and
the scene OF the unfortunate girl at the
side of her dead mother was one which
would melt heart of stone.
Being questioned by the coroner she
made the following statement:
My name is Sarah PasSeant. | am 16
years Of age. am a daughter Of the de-
my mother by the clothing. These
Indicating the hat, skirt and handker-
chief are her apparel. She left home
at about 2:30. o'clock this evening,
saying she was going to the house
of a friend, but as she did not re-
turn as soon as ! expected her. |. be-
came uneasy and started out to look
for her. / don't know why l came to
this spot to look for her, but was afraid
something had happened to her. | do
not know of any trouble she has had ex-
cept that she has been sick for the past
four years and ten months She has
been under the treatment of DrS. F. and
A. Hertf, but | do not know the exact ma
ture of her complaint
When her testimony had been taken,
she was conveyed to her home on Pine
street, where, a few minutes later the
corpse was taken. AS soon as the young
lady saw her father. she said in a loud
voice, papa, mama is dead"
The father then said: There's more
trouble and you have been at it with
your mother"
1t was evident that trouble had beer
had in the family and when Mr.. PaSsaent
was asked regarding same he said:
I'VE have been having nothing buI
trouble for several years. Nothing evel
seemed to suit my wife that would do
/ always gave her every shilling that |
earned. | also left home for a while tC
try and see il that would not mend mat
tiers, but she would never rest until came
back"
1t was learned later that the deceased
had son residing at Mrs. Rice's, OF
West Commerce street. He was notified
of the affair and soon was on the scene o
trouble, where, with brOtherly love, hC
attempted to comfort his sorrOwIng sis
ter"
Last Wednesday Mrs. PassaeRt called
on Mrs. Rice and asked her TO take goOC
care Of her boy; that she never expected
to see him again. 1t is clear then tina
she has for some time been contemplate,
the rash deed.
Today Justice Jones will conclude tn
examination of the witnesses and viii
render verdict