The sun., 1894-04-29
THE RESERVOIRS SECRET.
MRS. SMITH DROWNED. HkR DEMENT,
ED DAUeHIER Returns HoMR

| $40 Ar"H"NNsA AEENHN NNhN WV SIS AsEH
IT Wa. Night, spd Tier. is Evissps-
that the Mother H.a Arise. fren Beo
-nd Dressed Hsr-eir Hurrisaiy. also ah.,
the Daughter Arrived st the Reservoirs
First, Probably Csrryi-e = st.pisdaer.
| midnight tragedy occurred At . reservoir
| back OF Flushing avenue in Brooklyn Hills on
Friday night. to which there was but one wit
ness. aud that person from whom the story
may never be learned. The principals were
| Mrs Mary J. Smith and her demented daueh-
ter. Mrs. Nellie Caldwell.
The couple were living with Mrs. Smiths
son-in-lsw. q Mr. Richardson. In . fashionable
quarter OF Brooklyn Hills. The reservoir was
about six city blocks distant from the house.
Mrs. Caldwell had been mentally unbalanced
for some time. and IL 10 said her mother Mrs.
Smith. was also failing in mind. Mrs. Smith
was 80 years old. She was q very large wo-
man. During her residence In Brooklyn she
was well known in society there
About . rear ago her husband died and she
took up her residence with her daughter Mrs.
Richardson. While Mira CALDWELL had been de-
mented for some time. she was never deemed
| dangerous to herself or others but It was
| thought advisable to maintain watch on her.
For this purpose she and her mother occupied
the same room
The family retired as usual on Friday night
About o'clock the following morning Mr.
Richardson was aroused by hearing some one
in the lower part OF the house Thinking that
something was wrong with his slster-in-law.
he went into the rooms to Investigate.
There he encountered Mrs. Caldwell, fully
dressed. but In . strange plight She was
dripping with water. and her dress was torn In
several places. Water also drippcd from her
long hair that hung loose down her back.
Where have you been p he asked.
"Oh. I've been walking with mamma" was
the unooncerned reply.
We'll where 10 your mothsri" continued
Mr.. Richardson In alarm.
why. mamms's taking her morning bath
In the reservoir"
With this reply Mrs. CALDWELL whisksd out OF
the room In careless way. and seeking her
own aprtments prepared to 20 to bed Mr.
Richardson aroused the household. Search
was then made for Mira Smith She was not in
her room. although her bed showed siens Of
having been disturbed
Soon the whole household were alarmed
without inouirinc into the excitement Mira
CALDWELL went to bed. SUNNI oning q neighbor.
James 8. Wilson. and equipped with q couple
Of lanterns. Mr.. Richardson started for the
reservoir. which Is owned by tho Grosjean
Water Works and supplies water to Wood
haven and vicinity.
1t is surrounded By fence about feet high.
which was built about two years ago at the
order Of Mr.. Florian Grosjean after woman
had committed suicide In the reservoir
On approaching the reservoir the first object
to meet the eyes Of the two mon was O stop
ladder set up against tho fence which Mr..
Richardson at once recognized as belonging to
his house.
Ascending by this means they dropped In
side the enclosure. The distance from the
ground 70 the ton Of the fence on the instds IN
hut . fsx feet. owing 20 the hank Of the sssr-
volr being higher than the surrounding
ground.
Cropping their wAy in the darkness. the two
men at length sspied where the water had
been splashed up high on the shore. Here
their search came to an end.
A short distance from the edge Of the ressr-
voir q body foated on the the waters. sscur-
ing long pole. they drew it to the shore. Il
was the body OF Mrs. Smith. An Investigation
showed that life was extinct
Leaving the body on the shore they retraced
their stspA Coroner Evsritt OF jamaica was
sent for. and the body was removed to Mr.
Richardson's home.
When they got back to the house Mrs. Cad.
well was subjected to rigid examination but
nothing was learned from her. and the man
ner In which Mrs- Smith met her death can
that sho had dressed In haste. Her feet were
oncased In knitted slippers.
The supposition 10 that shortly after retiring
she awoke and found her daughter missing.
Hastily dressing she started In pursuit. What
caused her 10 seek the reservoir 10 not known.
but It was Q spot to which Mrs Caldwell vas
likely to stray.
That Mrs. CALDWELL Was bent on some mys-
terious mission to the reservoir that night ia
IL, h.. a 49,
carried the steDladdsr. Perhaps It was By this
stepladdsr that her mother succeeded in loca-
ting her on reaching the place where It was
set up against the fence.
An examination OF the footprints IN the soft
soil after daylight yesterday morning showed
that Mrs. Caldwell was the first to step from
the fence down into the enclosure The print
OF Mrs. Smiths knitted slippers were plainly
disesrnibls on top and erosswiss OF those of
Ars. Caldwell.
1t Is the general opinion. and one to which
the Coroner and others lean. that Mrs Cad
we'll was bent on self-destruction. and that her
mother arrived In time to frustrats her intsn-
ton.
In the struggle perhaps. or while trying 10 |
save her daughter. the hapless mother prob |
ably got beyond her depth or was overcome |
by her exertions and was drowned.
The shock caused By the cold water may |
have turned her dementsd daughters mind In |
direction At least shs must have
scrambled out Of the water and wandered
home.
Another theory is that Mrs. Smith overlook
her daughter at the reservoir. and As they
walked along the shelving bank they fell In.
Mrs. Caldwell being the more astiys OF the
two managed to get out while her mother
perishsd.
Coroner Everitt will hold the iAQusst In
WoodhAvsn Monday night
DAMROSCH HAS FIRST CALI
II ne Dossa't Take the MstroPOIitaa OSs-a