The evening world. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1887-1931, 1894-09-07
She WANTED TO DIE.
But Mrs. McCurdy Changed Her
Mind When Baby Cried.
Sent Boys for a Policeman to Save
Her from Herself.
Has Suffered from Melanc holia Since
Her Child Was Born.

A good-looking young woman. twenty
one years old. suffering with melancho!ia,
who gave her name as Ellen Mu.vey. but
who 1t Is said, Is the wife OF Thomas
McCurdy, stage carpenter. was COM
mitted to prison for further examination
tomorrow by Justice McMahon, at the
Yorkville Police Court to-day. on a charge
OF having attempted to commit suicide.
She Is the mother of five-weeks-old
baby, which she carried In her arms and
kissed almost continuously, while tears
coursed down her cheeks.
She has sister named Bessie Nc
Gibney, WHO Is at work at East TWEEN
ty-seventh street.
At o'clock last evening two boys
rushed up to Policeman Crossett. of the
East Fifty-first street station. and told
him he was wanted at 4l6 East Fifty
eighth street. Crossett hurried there
and found 4l6 to be a vacant brown-etone
house. In the kitchen he found the
woman with the baby in her arms. On
catching sight Of him she became hyster-
ical
She soon revived. and then excitedly
hurried out of the room, still holding
policeman TO follow her. On reaching
the parlor she pointed to a loaded re-
volver on the table and then fell again
Crossett brought her back to her
senses and asked her what the trouble
was.
not dare for baby's sake" she sobbed.
After awhile she told the officer that
her husband was older than she was
and that her sister Bessie had often
such an old man. She and her husband
are caretakers of the house. which Is at
present to let.
Since her baby was born, she has not
the house all day, .brooded over things
and became respondent. After her hus-
band left her. yesterday morning to go to
his shop On Ninth Nh avenue the idea struck
She knew her husband had revolver
In his trunk, and taking 1t out. she ex-
amined 1t and found II was loaded. She
then sat down and wrote two notes in
lead pencil to her husband. They were
as follows:
Dear Papa: Forgive me for doing such an act
am worried; PIT the little one away 10 som:
am upset IN my mind since l came from the
hospital Good-by. Pop dear.
The second letter was:
Dear Pop: he a good boy. Do not abuse the
Good by. Pop. II you can bury me in a decent
place do 40.
Neither of the letters was signed, but
both concluded with a lot Of KS, which
evidently represented kisses. They were
found In her pocket.
AFTER they were, written" she said, Il
wanted to give baby last kiss and then
shoot myself, but baby began to cry,
and for baby's sake decided to i've"
She added that she had fired two shots
into the mantelpiece and fearing that
the idea. of suicide would possess her
again. she sent the two boys for the
policeman.
Crossett told the two boys to rush for
assistance. They returned with two
more policemen, and Mrs. McCurdy with
her baby were taken TO the station-house
and given into the care of a matron
This morning she was quite calm when
arraigned before Justice Mcmahon Her
sister, Bessie. and another sister named
Mrs. Maud Pratt, of l1S East Thirteenth
street, were present. Justice Mcmahon
committed Mrs. McCurdy for examina-
ton, and ordered Agent King, of Mr.
Gerry's Society. to make an investiga-