The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1893-10-25
THE sTRYCHNINE ROUTE.
HANDSOME BELLE KNOWLES COM
MITS SUICIDE AT BELL PLANE
She Was Pupil at the Garfield University
and Was Quite Favorite- Secret
Marriage Alleged shs Attempted
Suicide Once Before in
New York City.

Miss Belle knowles CoHluitlcu suiciUe
at Belle Plaine yesterday by taking
strychnine.
This will be sad as we'll as startling
news to hundreds of young people IN this
city. No reasons are alleged for her rash
act, but il is probable that she Killed her
self in "a fit of melancholy or Tor some real
or fauced guilty act of her own for which
she might have felt remorse. That she
was of suicidal disposition there Is no
doubt for she tried to kill herself once
before in New York. the particulars OF
which are given i'll connection with this
article, AL! kinds of rumors are afioat
concerning the suicide but it is perhaps
unjust 10 The deceased TO give them Gre
deace.
Miss Knowles was student last year in
the Garfield university. where sne was
developing into a beautiful singer uuuef
the tntelage ofsMrs. Malviua Walden. AL
the entertainments given there she acquit-
ted herself honorably in every instance
and was quite fayorite. To say that she
WAS the handsOmest young LADY IN the
university is no reflection or the beauty Oh
the other young ladies for she was very
handsome looking girl. She was the very
picture of health and joyfulness, ana sue
had bright, open, intelligent face, large
clear blue eyes, and dark wavy halr that
would and did always attract attention.
She was the last one on earth
who would be suspected OF any
suicidal inclinations.
Miss Knowles was 10 years old and the
daughter of Captain j. G. Knowles, one
t,.g ,leI,
county, and whose cattle ranch Is within
about eight miles OF Wellington. She
was the only daughter and her fathers
purse was always open for anything That
would add to her accomplishments.
When the school year closed at GARFIELD
she went home to Sumner county,
and very little has been known
concerning her since that time. among the
students, except report that she had con-
| tracted a secret marriage. Who her alieg-
ed husband was nobody appeared to know,
although it was rumored that he was an
Englishman who taught school IN her
fathers neighborhood. That she was IN
| fatuated with the Englishmau there Is no
doubt. although he was much older than
she was. Her father and mother would
not consent to her marriage with him
for the reason that his iucome
was not sufficient to maintain
her in a position to which she was entl-
tied, and for the further alleged reason
that they were very partial to union be-
tween her and well known young man OF
Harper.
A short time ago she arrived in Wichita
very early in the morning and remained
here ali day. A few of her associates al
the Garfield met her down town and they
were astonshed to find that her genera
appearance had changed a good deal anc
that she had all the appearance
of being in trouble. Her cheerful looks
had departed from her face and her ME
blue eyes were not half SO bright as they
used to be. She said she was returning
from Montana where she was visiting Ok
acouaintances during the previous 81
weeks. About this time report was cir
culated that the Englishmau came her
after her, married her end took her q
Montana, but whether or not this i
fact has never been positlvei.
known. BE that as 1t MAJ
the general impression prevailed that sh
was not visiting" the Montans acquaint
ances whom she was talking about.
She seemed to be very anxious to retur
to school, and told Que OF the girls L
whom she was speaking that the monot
ony of country life WAS unbearable AN
that she could not live upon farm
, Afterwards, it seems, her mother came I
the CITY and went to the Garfield un
yersity to make arrangements ~
: board and tuition for another term, Du
WAS told that there WAS no room for her Al
} the south hall" where, it seems, tn
, Young lady pupils live. 1t Is also quieti
: intimased by one Of the pupils OF ia
t school that there was plenty OF room 10
her in the south hall'' and that the state
ment that there was not was, in reality
only mild way Of avoiding the unpiea'
q ant task of saying that her presence mish
' be Objectionable 10 the other youn
l ladies, for, whether true or no
: the opinion prevailed among thei
: thar she had contracted a clandestins
marriage with the school teacher In ques
tim. The mothers intention then ap
neared 10 be to get her nice boardla
:, place in a private family, but no Arrange
t ments to that effect were made: neithe
| were the arrangements for the youn
lady's tuition made.
Whatever may be Miss Knowles reason
h for her rash act it is to be regretted, Ior
-. sad. indeed, to see such bright aud hsnc
p some girl cut of in the prime of her youn
, wonanhood. II was impossible for AM
i body to see anything but bright an
6 happy future before her.
The following is al account OF her csc
II pade in New York two years ago as 1t w
3 then published in the EAGLE, the san
being ? special dispatch TO the Giob
e Democrat:
a Relic Knowles had been bad girl.
even a deem girl. she would never nave e.
herself into the trouble which. to "a
;, vonng ewes. seemed so dark that death w
a he only escape from IL II she had II
/, ba.n So, youuy and inexperienced, instes
7 | 81 wandering about il East O5e Hundr'
/. and Thirty-sixth street, TUESDAY plgh
looking for the river, she wpG
have been in her bed at Marlbor
e sleeping soundly, and preparing TO Ia
e and i've down the scandal For IT seen
J. tia, II was the sc auoal mougers " no dro'
, the pirl away from the little town
wander about in search OF some sure al
cav death. Miss Knowles parity co
fsSss,, to CAPTAIN Westervelt her stor
which set forth that IN the absence OF Mr.
nav with whom Miss Knowles was sta
= ing i'm Nalboro, some young men Of Il
&c town brought in wine. and then, after u
: Girls had drunk n little. which htie VI
- s,r too much for their inexperienced heat,
- the young men tufheu oo" the hea
and he Young people engaged in that oil
&c f,shioned. small town and country gan
n ~ ..nostoifica - with the rules Of the gan
.e sDsnended for the time. Miss hoowi