Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1893-11-03
Suicide in Randolph County.

A young girl named Schoonover
committed suicide in Randolph
county last week by taking the
poison known as Rough on Rats. "
A love affair seems to have been
the cause. Around her neck was
hung cotton sack containing three
much worn letters, which throw
light ON the death Of a young man
in that county about one year ago.
They were written by Jesse w.
Ward decd, of Huttonsville. The
first was written about July OF
1892 speaking Of having seen her
at Kerus and regretting having
failed to obtain an introduction
The second letter acknowledged
the receipt Of letter from her, but
the third, written on October %,
| 1892, seems to have been the one
| that affected her most. 1t stated
that "before the letter reached her
| the writer would be dead, land laid in
his grave" Declares that her not
answering his last letter was the
cause Of his rash act and "loss OF
his SOUL" He tells her that ne
would leave her his property but
that "she would die before nine
months or one year and be laid by
his side." These letters show as
well, as a good many other things
known before, the diseased and UNI
healthy state of Jesse Wards mind
before his death. No one knew
that the girl had correspondent with
| him.
| A few days before her death she
had her fortune told, which was
that she would not live three weeks,
She was about sixteen years old, and
of quiet and studious habits.
The following is that last letter
as published in the Tygart's Valley
News. 1t is what evidently drove
the girl mad, and it is hard to con-
lecture what could have been the
workings Of the mind of him who
wrote it:
HUTToSsvILLE, w. VA.
October 2Sth 1899.
MISS ADARINE SCHooNovEK,
Dear Friend:-When your eyes fall up
on these few lines the writer will be In
his grave, but to prove to you that this
poor stranger is ungrateful to you fol
your kindness. love you as dearly al
you do yourself, but as you never answer
ed my letter wrote to you some time
ago it seems that you don't love me.
think Miss Schoonover thot l have led
wandering life of late and it has told up
ON me and I can't live long, but viii
leave here tomorrow You must fall up
on the bed of death; do solmnly swea
that Jesse Ward is guilty of your murder
will return at last without wedding
ring, and brokenhearted. will die ant
my love shall soon follow me to my
grave. Then my joy shall begin. Aftel
the man who has given. his life for yor
and lost his soul for you he loved, at last
I shall meet you face to face; and you b.
destroyed with my body, and soul tina
thou hast given, for you l love, ant
no one else but you alone.
Five weeks YOU shall suffer with some
thing like diptheria, nine months or ON
year and you shall be buried by m!
side
Now Miss Alkaline, time comes fast; yo'
must not weep after my fate, for yo'
shall soon be with me In joy.
From your darling lover, Jesse "
Ward, who will be dead before thes
lines can reach your home.
Iwould have willcd you my propert
but It would have done no good,
Come and meet me In Heaven.
!. Your lover,
JESSE W. WARD.
e [Mr. Taylor Carpenter Of thi
| county was employed by Jesse "
, Ward sometime before his deatl
s and was present when his dea