The evening world., 1894-05-29
HER HOOD OF DEATH.
Miss Hoff Covered Her Head with
a Gossamer and Inhaled Gas.
Found by Her Sister Dying in a
Rocking-Chair.
Ill-Health and Adversity Led an
Educated Woman to Suicide.

Miss Bernardina d. Hon. n highly
educated Swedish woman, thirty six
years old and formerly an instructress
to the blind in the asylum at Thirty
fourth street and Ninth avenue, killed
herself by inhaling illuminating gas at
her home. 2ilS Madison avenue, early
this morning. She accomplished her
purpose by attaching a rubber tube to
a gas jet and placing the free end in her
mouth.
The cause OF her act was despondency.
arising from ill-health and adversely.
She lived with her married sister,
Mrs. Caroline Peterson, who is sep
| arated from her husband. They occu-
pied furnished rooms on the second
floor Of the house.
Miss Hof a short time ago was at
lacked by kidney trouble Yesterday
her physician. DR. Mary jacob. of llO
symptoms of cancer in the stomach
Frustrated.
It's no use. sister" she said to Mrs.
Peterson. There is no hope for me.
am going to look for another room. II
VIII not 90 to kill myself in this house. "
Mrs. Peterson did her best 10 dissuade
her sister from so rash step, and
tried to cheer her. Il shall watch you.'
she said.
Miss ,Hoff. however would not be
consoled. IF l cannot do II to-day
VIII do 1t tomorrow or next day." she
Last night Miss Hon went to see her
physician again. and returned home at
At 10 o'clock the sisters kissed each
other good night and retired to their
respective rooms.
Mrs Peterson slept in the front bed
room and her sister In the. rear room
on the same floor. AT midnight Mrs.
Peterson was awakened by a strong
odor of gas. She became suspicious and
ran into her sisters room. and found
her bed unoccupied
Just OF Miss Hofr's bedroom is
room ' faint % moaninr nf as Game from fTpHSshs thst
nlace. Drawing the curtains aside Mrs
Peterson found her sister sitting up-
right In a rocking-chair. with the tube
between her teeth.
She had wrapped the cape Of a gossa-
mer cloak about her head to prevent
the gas, from, escaping. She was not
ambulance surgeon from the Harlem
Hospital could be summoned she ex-
pired.
Miss Hoff was of an excellent Swedish
Royal Conservatory OF Sweden, near
Stockholm. She and her sister came to
this country ten years ago, and Miss
got a position in the Hagerstown (MdJ
female college, where she taught music
and the modern languages.
Desiring to be near her sister. who
lived In New York. she gave UP her
position at Hagerstown and went to
teach in the Institute for the Blind. on
Thirty-fourth street, this city.
She employed a method OF her own,
for the invention of which she had re-
ceived a medal from King Oscar OF
Sweden.
Miss Hoff is said to have possessed
many eccentricities which Jared with
those with whom she came in contact.
The asylum management put up with a
great deal rather than lose the benefits
Of the Hoff method, but finally was
compelled to dispense with her services
Two years ago Mr.. and Mrs. Peterson
separated. The neighbors said that the
parting was caused by Miss Hoff, whose
actions were of such decidedly
strange character that Peterson refused
to live in the house with her. and Mrs
Peterson refused to leave her sister
a dozen positions she had were lost
because of her peevishness and domi-
neering nature. At last. during the
past y1ar she had been reduced to Civ
Ing music lessons to children. or this
she complained bitterly, and was
often deSpondent.