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
Rockingham.
ILL Health and Adversely Led an
Educated Woman to Suicide.

Miss Bernardina D. Hon. q 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. 2llS Madison avenue. early
this morning. She accomplished her
purpose by attaching a rubber tube to
n gas jet and placing the free end in her
mouth.
The cause OF her act was dependency,
arising from il-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 Hoff a short time ago was at
tackled by. kidney trouble. Yesterday
her physician, Or; Mary. Jacob. OF llo
symptoms of cancer in the stomach
We're developing. She went home almost
It's no use, sister," she said to Mrs.
Peterson. There is no hope for me. l
am going to look for another room. II
will not DO to kill myself in this house"
her sister from so rash a step, and
tried to cheer her. Il shall watch you"
she said.
Miss Hon. however. would not be
consoled. IF l cannot do 1t to-day l
vii do 1t tomorrow or next day." she
Last night Miss Hof went to see her
physician again. and returned home at
8 o'clock more respondent than ever.
At 10 o'clock the sisters kissed each
other good night and retired to their
Mrs. Peterson slept in the front bed
room and her sister in the rear room
on the same floor. AT midnight Mrs.
odor Of gas. She became suspicious and
ran Into her sisters room. and found
her bed unoccupied.
Jus, OFF Miss H9n's bedroom is
room. A faint moaning came from that
place. Drawing the curtains aside Mrs.
Peterson found her sister sitting up
between her teeth.
She had wrapped the cape of a gossa-
mer cloak about her head to prevent
lend when discovered, but before an
ambulance surgeon from the Harlem
Hospital could be summoned she ex-
Miss Hon wal of an excellent Swedish
family. She was a graduate OF the
Royal Conservatory Of Sweden, Real
Stockholm. She and her sister came to
Hof began to teach music. She soon
got a position in the Hagerstown (Md.)
female college, where she taught music
and the modern languages.
Desiring to be near her sister, who
position at Hagerstown and went to
teach in the Institute for the Blind. on
T~hirty-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 Hof 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 Hon method, but finally was
compelled to dispense with her services.
Two years ago Mr.. and Mrs. Peterson
separated. The n%eighbors said that the
parting was caused by Miss Hon. 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 year she had been reduced to CIV
Ing music lessons to children. OF this
she complained bitterly. and was
often respondent.