Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1894-06-04
PECULIAR SUICIDE
Of a Young Lady from Rcck-
land at PeekskiII, N. Y.
Being Refused Admission to a Con-
vent She Drowned Herself.
Plant Of taconia Car Works Burned-MiIi Be
Rebuilt.

PEEKsKILL, June 3.-Miss Lulu Erskine.
% years of age, of Rocklsnd, Me-, COM
mi,ted suicide here, Saturday morning, by
drowning herself in the Hudson river.
Miss Erskine, it is since learned, was one
of Rockland's best known young ladies'.
and belonged to one of the most estimabie
families { f that city. Until recently che
held the position of bookkeeper with the
firm of j. f. Gregory { Co., clothing deal
ers. She left her home, Friday, her fam
lily supposing that she was going to the
store. She dip not return to supper, which
was not thought strange, as she often took
tea with some of her young lady friends.
1t was learned that q young lady answering
to her de scription had left there on the l .35
p. M. Maine Central train. A letter was
found in her room stating that she had gone
to Boston,
Miss Erskine was % years of age, a
member of the Baptist church, and was be-
loved by all who knew her. She was a
daughter of A. j. Erskine, q prominent in
surance agent of that city.
She had been in i'll health for some time
and this is thought to have been the cause
of her sudden departure from her home.
She arrived in Peekskill at S.l5 A. NJ.
The hackman thought it was some young
woman bound for visit at some country
house, or else that she was going to the
girls school connected with St. Gabriel's
convent. She engaged a man and ordered
him to drive her to the convent
The hackman noticed that she was verv
respondent, and while driving up the hill to
the convent, which is short mile from the
station, he thought more than once that he
heard ber sobbing.
Miss Erskine informed the attendant who
came to the door in answer to her ring that
she wished to see the mother superior, and
upon being told that she was out of town
she began to sob. She was led into an in
ner room at once and several of the sisters
waited upon her, giving her refreshments
and trying to cheer her up.
After few moments she became more
composed. and they then asked her where
she was from and what she wished. She
gave her name and address, and said that,
although Baptist, she wished to become Q
Roman Catholic sister. She proposed to
make visit with the sisters preparatory
to becoming sister herself.
She said she had travelled steadily night
and day from Rockland, and had merely
iSAe hoec ioi hSi PcoPio ANNOUNCING thV
fact to them that she wished to enter a con-
vent. The Sisters noticed that the young
woman had peculiar expression in her
eyes and that she did not seem able to re-
turn directly the gaze of any of them.
Miss Erskine pleaded hard to be allow ed
to remain, but gave no specific reason for
wishing to give up her family and friends.
After being with the Sisters probably half
an hour, in which she used all the per-
vince them that she ought to be admitted,
she accepted their decision with fairly good
grace.
At IL o'clock two men saw her approach
the river and walk down a sloping rock in
to the water. They ran and got fisherman
Dyckman by name, to row to the place.
He was too late. He found Miss Erskine's
body floating only a few feet from the
rock. 1t would probably have been sunk
except for the heavy fur cape, which, being
around the shoulders, held the body up.
In one of the dress pockets was found a
silk pocketbook and leather pocketbook.
In the wallet were four S5 bills, and in the
pocketbook was "A cents in change and
four 81 bills.
In the pocketbook was found slips of
paper on which was written something
about an insurance policy and a notebook
in which were recorded number of reli-
gious quotations, among which were God
is love-" and 1.-The transformation of the
SOUL" This also was found "Wby does
man commit suicide?"