The evening world., 1894-05-29
HER HOOD OF DEATH.
Miss Hof Covered Her Head with
q 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.. Hor. a highly
educated Swedish woman, thirty-siS
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 dependency.
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
iioor of the house.
Miss Hon Il short time ago was at
lacked by kidney trouble. Yesterday
her physician. DR.. Mary jacob of 10
West 1hirty-fourth street, told ner that
symptoms OF cancer in the stomach
were developing. She went home almost
Frustrated.
ITS no use, sister" she said to Mrs.
Peterson. There is no hope for me. !
am going TO look for another room. II
Will not 10 to Kill myself in this house. =
Mrs Peterson did her best 10 dissuade
hef sister from so rash a step, and
'ii'' ~ '-i' u i snail watch Sou,
she said.
Miss ,Hom however, would not be
consoled. If ! cannot do II to-day l
said.
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
/ rnnfn and hnr CiGtar In Two ra,r 90,
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
JUS of Miss Hons bedroom is
a small alcove, used ns a dressing.
room. A faint moaning anne from that
Mace. Drawing the curtains aside Mrs.
Peterson found her sister sitting up
right in n rocking-chair, with the tube
between her teeth.
mer cloak about her head to prevent
the gas from escaping. She was not
dead when discovered, but before an
Hosnital could be ummoned she en-
pired.
Miss Hoff was of an excellent Swedish
Rfs dHni c shs was e. sfTas sweden OF ne ths
Stockholm. She and her sister came to
his country ten years ago. and Miss
Hoff began to teach music. She soon
| ~ I" l'Sl''oi ~ NV ltSNl II N.NiAl,
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 n 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 Hof 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 a decidedly
strange cha racter ttSt 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 doml-
recring nature. At last. during the
past y0ar she had been reduced to Civ.
Ing music lessons to children. OF this
she complained bitterly. and was
often Respondent.