The record-union., 1893-12-28
LIFE NOT WORTH THE STRUGGLE.
An 0utcast's Attempt to End Her
Existence.
Sad Story of the Downfall of One Who
Was Once the Belle of
Her County.

There was sad scene at the police sta
ton last night. In the Receiving Hos
pital room young and comely-looklng
woman, named Belle W, lay upon
one of the cots writhing and moaning
with convulsions, resulting from dose OF
strychnine that she had taken few
hours before, for the purpose of ending
her life.
Around the bed were group of ladies
from the Pentecost Mission and Saliva
ton Army, striving to hold the poor
creature in her writings, and whispering
words of cheer and comfort to her. She
declared she was dying, and asked. a
friend who had known her in years gone
by, to write to her relatives in distant
county, and tell them why she had taken
poison.
The act was committed about o'clock
in the afternoon, on the public street, and
as soon as the poison began to effect her
she ran into the Sacramento Market and
told one of the clerks what she had done.
and then fell in spasm OF pain. Ofhcers
were called and the woman was removed
to the Receiving Hospital, where City
Physician Terry, after hard struggle,
relieved her Of the poison.
Early in the evening, when RECORD
UNION reporter called thore she was rest
ing easily, except that at intervals OF III
teen or twenty minutes conVulsIons
would occur, lasting only few minutes.
Between these attacks she talked freely
with the reporter concerning her life, but
begged that the names OF her relatives
would not be mentioned.
She has been twice married, and each
time was unfortunate in her choice OF
husbands. The last one forced her into a
dancehouse in this city, and from that mo-
ment she went from bad to worse. They
separated some years ago, and their only
child of the three born to them was sent
home to her grandmother, and is now a
lovely girl of Is years of age.
LatIerly the good people of the Pentecost
Mission took the erring woman to their
hearts and so encouraged her that for
weeks at a time she was able to Withstand
the temptation to drink, and she began to
feel that there was something to live for.
But occasionally the desire for drink
overpoWered her will and she would fall,
only TO be again received at the mission.
''These good women" she sobbed to
the reporter, 'are the only ones out of
my class that are not ashamed to recog-
nize me. My own relatives long ago
turned their backs on me, and l have no
desire to live. Oh! if l could only see my
4
but no, she too has learned to forget
me!
Would you think" she asked, raising
her head from the pillow, that l once
took the prize as the prettiest girl in -
County? But did, and
Then the poor creature burst into tears,
and she was seized with another convul-
sion. Again regaining her calmness, she
resumed:
1.-THE first time I came to Sacramento it
was to attend an inaugural ball. l was
then young, comely and-respectable.
The next time was not very long ago, and
the last fifty miles Of my Journey [ made
on foot, in company with the worthless
man who claimed me as his wife. Oh,
this kind of life is unbearable, and shall
soon end itp'
She named number of people of high
standing who are relatives of hers, and
others who were friends and associates
in her girlhood days, but it is not neces-
sary to say who they are. Her sister is
now the widow of man who was a few
years ago a State Senator, and the wife of
another prominent Senator was a school
mate of hers.
A few weeks ago she attempted to
drown herself, and declares she Will yet
do it. She said, however, that if her
relatives would only recognize her and
take her to their homes she would have
the courage to redeem herself.
Yesterday, she said, she was at the
Mission and prayed with the ladies
and gentlemen there, but the devil
tempted her and she yielded to the cray
ing for drink of liquor. Then she lost
courage again, and went to a drugstore
and purchased the deadly strychnine.
She refused to tell who it was that sold
it to her, but said it was no trouble what
ever to get it. This is matter that
should be inquired into, and the guilty
person should be punished to the fullest
extent of the law.
1t is thought the woman will recover
from the effects of the dose, but unless
her relatives come to her rescue there is
danger that she will yet end her life.