The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1893-11-23
BOTH COMMITTED SUICIDE.
FANNY LEDEcKF AND MEN MOTHER
DIED TOGETHER.

Too " Her Mother bid-So when rsin
Drove the Mother U Take Her Lifs
the Daughter Carried Out Her Threat.
Some time during Tuesday night two women
whose love for each other had become the
most that the world held for either committed
suicide together. They were mother and
daughter. They dwelt among uncongenial
neiRhbors and far from the one member Of
their family who lived in this city. They had
no friends or even acduaintances near them.
aud the circumference OF their lives had grown
gradually so small that they lived only for each
other
The old woman was an invalid and suffered
from neuralgia pains In her head. so long had
the trouble distressed her that she would
sometimes threaten to kill herself. saying that
the doctors had done her no good and that no
relief from the suffering remained TO her ex-
coptinR to die. When her daughter heard the
threats she usually answered them smilinRly
and incredulously:
II you did. mother. should have to go with
you. There are only the two OF us. you know"
Nobody who heard the threats believed in
them any more THAI tho daughter did. but the
old woman suffered continuously and was I'M
able to sleep, and desperation finally drove
her to carry out her threat SO after making
careful preparation for death she hanged her
self. and the daughter. who had incredulously
promised to follow her. cut an artery in her left
arm and bled to death In an adjoining room.
Mrs. Antoine Ledecky was the mother. and
her daughter was named Fanny. Fanny was
30 years old and her mother was "a. They
were Bohemians. and came TO this country
from Prague fifteen years ago Six months
ago they moved into the tenement house at
$50 East Eighty seventh street. They occu-
pied a small apartment. consisting OF four
rooms. on the first floor
The daughter who was n graduate OF the
University Of Music In Prague. gave piano
lessons and worked during the summer
months at making passem emit erie. She had
pupils enough during the winter and work
enough In summer to support herself and her
mother In comfort. besides what she earned.
there was still some money In the mothers
possession which had come from the estate
left by her husband when he died in Prague
None OF the neighbors who lived 10 the house
with the Ledeckys had ever known them. They
never spoke to any one In the house. and their
ranner was always such that nobody had ever
Nesumed TO attempt an acquaintance with
hein. In the summer months the door OF tho
little sitting room would stand open until some
one OF the tenants stopped near II In the hall
Then II would close shutting In the mother
and daughter. who seemed best satisfied with
snly the company OF zach other The neigh
bors could hear tho music OF plano and the
daughter signing in the room. But excepting
the occasional visit OF one Of Mrs Ledecky's
sons. who lives In the city. and OF tho daugh-
ter.s pupils few, persons ever disturbed the
mother and daughter In their seclusion.
The music and singing were heard By the
pelghbors in the tenement house late on Tues
in he room until The Snor whS
70 t1s r9on across .he na TOP ne en-
the janitor did not trouble himself to cross the
ball and knock on the old womana door. The
they would cry out again. he. argued. II any
Toops until the next day.
sinGing. letter which she had written and
hSt,ie IN che early evening ~, wa. on lie war to
Il was written. in Bohemian. aud contained
only a few words. which In English mean:
o .cr and zee . 0uH door s w .
At the bottom OF the page was written:
Bring somebody with you
The time had come when the pain had grown
too great for the Md woman to bear. She had
dertded to die, and her daughter. Fanny. was
evening vhs the " ms to hs
music and heard the words OF an old German
folk song:
s.. % ss' yom s' !" '.S'i scn ssiS hat
m We; as s, to ns w..hOm Of God that one
In the voice OF the younger woman. the rope
which was to end the lie OF the old sufferer
must have lnin in sight OF the two women. with
The music ceased at 4 o'clock. and what hap,
pencil within the rooms OF the mother and
. matter OF conjecture Except the two
faint cries which tho Janitor heard an hour
later nothing attracted attention to the
When the letter was delivered to Otto Led
srrsy At MS shop ys.tsrd"y morning 6y the
Mighty; seventh street. The door OF the nat |
gas gas pnloessd, as the letter had read it would
which was bound about the Knob and LOCK
ths window had. been carefully. drawn |
piano was BOOK u music apsnld att NJ the ere
man Iolk song Dressed in gown OF black
s6lasf veil droPpsd over her fac e. hung the
body body Of ne Eel, old T2iIEan, suspended from a
and worn BY disease, and her slender body
toe sh drag ss y s5s SOy Sss
noose about her neck while standing on the 1
tabls. and had then stePpsd OF IL, Her feet I
lines. Il had been fastened to the gas fixture
the SitcSsn which was dirsdIIy IN the sSr rear
q the room in which Mrs Ledeeky hung. her
armchair, her head fallen forward on her
bosom. Her left, arm hung down. and alta
spot lust above the wrlst the artery had been
cut.
On the table In the sitting room was an
ether writing In the young womAn's hand. 1t
This is my nrst and last ball drs" Barry me As am.
The gown she wore was a thin blue silk, dark
In shade and light in texture. Her brother
said that II Was gown she had not worn for
yaaHA
Ia the rooms OF the house was found some-
what more than $50 In money. There was
nothing about the apartments TO denote that
ks occupants were In financial trouble Moth
Ing Aboutths rooms was elaborate but every
The mother evidently died before her dAugh-
ter. and probably the old woman without help |
could never have arranged the rope, mounted |
the table. aud com pleted her work OF suicide. |
shb was a feeble old woman. unequal to the |
RaIsisal Effort that such an undertaking would |
The JouHGsr woman Va! progressing in |
aDDe4E anee, with dark hair and eyes. Her |
iass did not indicate MISTAKENLY dispoSltion'
but WAS pleasant In expression. She MAS en- |
gagged TO be married before she left Austria. |
but the snEaRsment was broken after her ar
Tital In this COUNTRY
Pot a Ballet IaIO Ills Hear.