The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1893-08-26
SOUGHT EEATH.
Wichita Woman Makes Three Attempts Il
Suicide 1t AichisoE,

SUICIDE 1T AfCHSoGs
Mrs Rachel Bernard of North Main
street, who has been temporarily residing
at Atchison, attempted suicide three times
in that city last Wednesday and was ad-
judged insane yesterday. Her home in
this city was opposite the court house
and she was best known as 'the corset
woman for being agent in this city for
corsets of some particular brand for the
past six or seven years. About four years
ago she gained some notoriety here By an
alleged attempt to blackmsll ore Dr.. Hall,
the particulars OF which appeared in the
papers at that time. The foil owing is the
story told by the Atchison Patriot con-
corning her attempt to commit suicide:
A careful investigation has brought out
many strange facts concerning the mys-
FERROUS Mrs. Bernard, who has made sew
eral iuetfec.ua attempts to end her life.
At least three attempts at suicide are
known to the police. The first was On
Monday morning. Ang. 13. when, tired Of
life, she took large dose of morphine.
The second attempt was made about 3:45
O'Clock yesterday afternoon. when she
jumped into the Missouri river and the
third was made at about an hour or so
later at the police station. After she had
Deen cared LOT auu gwen n ufy CndbSe vi
clothing and had seemingly recovered
from the effects Of her cold bath in the
waters of the murky Missouri she was LETT
alone in the woman's cell Officers Ennis
and Alexander, hearing strange
sound in the cell, hastily unlocked the
door aud discovered the woman i'll "A re
Ginning position on the floor in strangllDg
condition. The woman had torn \ strip
from the bed sheet, and, tying slip knot
in apG Sha h. I'D rQnnH her neck
and with both hands she was stralnlng
every nerve to choke herself. The county
officers were notified and at O'Clock she
was taken to the county Jail and placed III
a cell and carefully guarded. AT O'Clock
this afternoon she WAS tried for insanity III
the probate court
Her life history, Is fully as it can be
ascertained, is a strange and pathetic one.
OF her past she says but little, and all at
tempts TO draw from her any account Of
her Journey through life are futile. The
facts, as near as they can be CLEANED from
people residing III the vicinity where she
boarded, are these:
She was born in Kentucky, but in what
year is not known exactly, though il was
about 1S45 She told neighbor that she
was one OF q family OF seven children, but
all of them had died with the exception of
one brother dependent upon her, who, she
said, was a cripple, living In Wichita, aud
that his name WAS z. L. Bonitace. Sac
consulted Dr. Blair about this brother AMI
stated that her brother was suffering from
some bladder trouble. After in0uiring
into the case, DR.. Blair told the woman
that surgical operation would be neces-
sary and Mrs. Bernard left the Office and
did not call again, and nothing more was
done about the matter.
The report that the fire which consumed
the house OF Mrs. Elizabeth Morgan Of $50
Mound street early Thursday morning was
caused by Mrs. Bernard setting fire to the
bed clothes cannot be authenticated as the
room used as 4. bedroom by Mrs Bernard
was the last to burn. The fire first con-
sumed the stairs leading from the floor to
the basement occupied by Mrs. Morgan.
All Of the personal effects OF Mrs. Bernard
were consumed ny the flames, as stated 10
Tuesdays Patriot, the only thing saved
being a trunk full of corsets belonging To
the Reliance Corset company OF jackson.
Mich, for which company she acted us
agent Among the few articles saved from
the fire were a scrap book and several busi-
ness cards of the company she represented
and on which the name of Mrs VI. V. a.
Bernard was stamped. The leaves of the
scrap book were badly charred, but
one Clipping from Il Topeka paper
offered one more link in the chain of the
wOman's past. 1t was a
Quarter OF a column wrlteup OF the real
estate firm of Bernard q Alien and stated
that the iirm was doing rushing Dusi-
ness Several of the neighborS remember
Mrs. Bernard saying that her husband,
who has been dead several years, was IN
he real estate business III that city. Mrs.
VIII femme, who resides on Mound
street opposite the house of Mrs. Morgan,
sheltered Mrs Bernard, and, after giving
her "A supply of clothing and some money
which the neighbors had contributed,
made arrangements for her at IL boarding
house When called on tins morning by
IA Patriot reporter, Mrs. femme said that
.'the woman acted strangely all day yes
terday and appeared to be under
the influence OF some drug.
which smelled like choral. SHE
was drowsy and listless aud leaned |
on the back of CHAIRS for support, About |
2 O'Clock Mrs Bernard lett the house, |
saying she was going to Ptulson's store. |
| watched her. and becoming alarmed at
her strange behavior, L telepnoned to |
Chief of Police Weld. Several boys fol- |
lowed the woman and seeing her 90 TO the |
river told Charlie Hume, IL young man |
who lives next door to Us, and he followed |
Mrs. Bernard. ana When she jumped into |
The river sprang in and rescued her. L !
know very little OF her past, but from |
what she did tell me, / Judge that at one |
lime she occupied nigh station IN |
social t life as her manners and
very plainly Indicated"
among number OF |
d her residents in the neighborhood re-
yealed the fact that man, OF middle age !
1a, been seen TO enter Mrs. Beruard's |
rooms after uightfall. By some it is as
serted that the man was the brother OF |
Mrs Bernard, bud others contradict the /
story and as positively assert that Tie man |
iyed in the city, Steps will be taken to |
notify the corset company for which she |
was agent and also TO ascertain the where
,bouts of the brother
When put on the witness stand this !
,.ternoou. Mrs. Bernard testified that her /
'ather died in an Insane asylum. The jury
returned verdict OF Insanity.