The herald., 1893-11-16
DMMITTED SUICIDE BY POISON
Mrs. Reuben NJ. Dunkin Killed
Herself.
Love for Her Husband Caused the
Tragic Deed.
1sinliy Troubles Ended by Dose Of
foison--A Pitiful Tale of Womnh's
usvotfoiI-Resuit OF C0ro-
ner's Inquest

Il The true love OF a woman for man
Hended yesterday when the life went out
*irom the body of Mrs. Nellie l.. Dun
&en., more pitiable story is seldom
f heard.
q Mre. Dunkin, who with her husband,
4 Reuben NJ. Dunkin, conducted the res
.tnurant near the corner Of Seventh
&t,reet and Grand avenue, committed
fsu eide by taking an unknown poison.
ne deed was committed about 3
',t ck Yesterday afternoon.
~. and Mrs Dunkin had been mar
,td about three years. They came
FIr0m San Berhardino two weeks ago,
4ALd purchased the restaurant, taking
1cbsrge last Friday.
n Family troub e., caused by drink, con-
Etinued, and at times was 80 noticeable
&that 1t was commented upon by those
~ no had occasion TO visit the vicinity.
n Cne OF the usual petty quarrels be-
Xtween man and wife occurred yesterday.
Mrs Dunkin had implored her husband
TO velrain from drinking, and at times
he had acceded to her wishes. But the
!. habit WAS 60 strong that he did not stop
ID
been encountered by the employment
OF woman cook to which Mrs. Dunkin
objected. A man was put in her place,
bnt things did not run along smoothly.
Mrs. Dunkin had threatened to leave
her husband. She would get almost
desperate at timea in her anger and pity.
When they ouarreled yesterday Dunkin
took new method to subdue hie wife.
About AS O'Clock he sent the following
note to her:
NELlIE-I have left you and will not
be back any more. Send my papers to
mother. REUBEN.
Before he had written the note, which
he says he did as means OF reconcilia-
, tion and not az his intention. he cav his
wife pass down the street, but paid no
particular attention to the incident. 1t
may have been that this is when she
secured the poison from G nearby drug
store.
Dunkin gave the note to the cook 20
give To his wife. shortly afterwards the
cook, Freeman Brock, was called upon
!. to take some stamps 10 Mrs. Dunkin.
1t was not long after this when the
cook heard Mrs. Dunkin scream.
Mrs. Sonnenburg, who keeps fruit
etand near by, WAS called lii by some
one, who said that Mrs. Dunkin was se-
Yously i'll. When she went into the
room Mrs. Dunkin wac lying ON the
bed, and she was sts tiled to see that
- tine body was apparently lifeless. She
called assistance and telephoned for
physician. DR.. Brainerd soon arrived
and found the woman dead. This was
about 3 &c O'Clock.
On table in the room lay two or
three letters. Ore of them was ad-
dressed to her husband and the sub
stance was az follows:
She said that her life had become q
burden on account OF Dunkin having
drank go MUCH lately. She thought
that when they took the restaurant he
would act better. She loved him and
had always done wiie'e duty, but his
conduct was unbearsble. She bade him
farewell by saying she vas going to die.
for him and for the love she bore him.
Another letter was addressed to w. s.
Dunkin, a brother OF her husband, and
was very lengthy. In it che stated that
Dunkin had treated her badly for some
time, and that her body bore marks of
his brutal treatment caused by
drink. She asked that her body be
shipped to her mother in the east, and
requested that her brother in-law tell
her mother that she died natural.
death Her declaIation OF love and de-
votion to her husband. despite his ireat-
ment. wac pitiiul, and it was for this,
! she claimed, that she killed herself.
One OF the moet significant parts of
sathe letter WAS to the effect that since
, Dunkin had gotten the property and
money On depoeit changed and put in
his name he had taken to drink worse
than ever.
An inquest was held on the body at
the undertaking parlors OF Garrett &
Sampson, at Z 80 o'clock last evening.
when the facts as recited were fully cor.
roborated.
In giving his testimony, Dunkin wept
like child over the loss of his wife.
He said that he had never struck her,
but that they had quarreled. As soon
as he had given the note to the cook, he
had gone down town eXpectingto return
home. About O'Clock he was informed
OF his wiies death.
A small phial containing white
liquid wac exhibited. but the contents
we're not analyzed. Dunkin said that it
was come sort OF skin ointment that his
wife had purchased at the beach to re-
move tan. No other medicine being
found, it was supposed she had drank
some of the stuff, while others thought
ehe had obtained and drank prussic
acid. No prussic acid was found in the
mixture for the skin, and the mystery
remains as to what she drank.
n, The coroner's jury returned verdict
means.