The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1894-03-13
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MRS. IRELAND'S SUICIDE.
A Tragedy That Startled the People
Of Cincinnati.

Cincinnati, O., March 4.-The suicide OF
Mrs Percy Ireland of the leaders or
society," Friday, is still the sensation. Inc
deed was committed in her bedchamper at
her splendid home at the corner OF Gilbert
and WOODBURY. avenues, Walnut Hlll. Inc
apparent and usually accepted cause OIL
the act was fear of exposure Tor having
forged a note against her mother, Mrs
Joseph Sellew.
a moment before, and at the breakfast
table when he heard a mufled SOUND ike
the report of a revolver. MI lreland Sprahs
from the table and ran upstairs. lie found
his wife covered up in bed. and When he
tore the covering away there was rush
of smoke.
hand she clutched a revolver. Mr.. Ireland
extinguished the blaze and then saw his
wife was bleeding from wound in the
left breast. Two minutes later she was
dead.
Examination showed that she had taken
one of her husbands revolvers, and placing
the muzzle against her left breast, fired it,
the ball passing entirely through her body
and coming out on the left OF her spinal
column The weapon had been hidden by
Mr. Ireland the night before, but she sue
ceeded in finding it. FOR some days Mrs.
Ireland had been telling her friends they
would hear from her soon. THURSDAY seV-
eral of them received letters saying she
would be dead by the time they read the
letters, that she was tired of the cruelty OF
her mother. Mrs. Joseph SeileW' ana m
tended TO take 0er lie. o some VI lin.
she also sent packages of clothing ana
pr esentS.
Mrs. Edward w. Denham. who received
one of these missives, hurriedly Went 10
the house and found the place tightly lock-
ed. She teephoned for her husband anu
Mr. Ireland, and when hey came the door
was forced. Mrs. Ireland was found lying
on her bed in Il semi-conscious condition;
while two gas jets were turned on fuli
force. On the table empty NOR
phine bottle. doctor was called and when
a,1,c, t1x, Ayrg Trni and
had taken four and a half grains OF the
drug and then turned on the gas. You've
made big mistake" she added ,1Ie nan LYNX ny
remained with her all that night
Thc Last Kiss.
Mr. Ireland's two pistols were hidden
in another room. Friday morning when her
husband started down stairs for breakfast
she called him over and kissed him, She
said: Now dear you go down to the din
ing room and get something to eat and l
will JOIN you in a moment
Hardly had Mr.. and Mrs. Denham ana
Mr. Ireland seated themselves when MT.
Denham rose up with the eXcamation; :,
heard pistol shot from Mrs Ireland S
room" He ran unSt1rs and made the ter
rible discovery In Mrs. lreland'S room was
found a large box OF clotfing addressed to
Mary Crttenden. of Elizabeth n. j. A
letter was found in which she stated to
Mrs. CritteUden that she vas going TO die
account of the neglect of her mother.
Another letter addressed to Mary S. De
which the writer again bitterly complained
of her mothers alleged mistreatment. A
third letter addressed to Attorney H. 7:
Loomis. asking him to sell her effects, and
out of the proceeds TO paw what she owed
her mother, was also discovered in the
room.
Mrs. Ireland was the daughter Of Joseph
Sellew, once one of the wealthiest hardware
merchants in Cincinnati He died few
years ago The dau@hter married Mr;
Hervey. He died over year ago, and
about six weeks the widow married
Percy Ireland. bool1keeper for the Russell
Mnrg"n Printing COmnany. In aJ1u3ry,
1892, Mrs. ireland inherited 22,oo0 from her
fathers estate. 9nc began to give large
donations to local churches and charities
and finally ran through the legacy. Her
mother who Is one of the wcalthiest wo-
men in this county. gave her $1,000, most of
which went to settling debts.
Forged Her Notl"r'a Name.
In less than two years Mrs. Ireland had
spent $4,000. When her wedding was APP
self out OF funds. She forged her mothers
name to $500 note and sold It, When the
note fell due +he other day. Mrs. Sellew
paid ii but said nothing to her daughter
1t is supposed that fear of discovery of her
crime preyed on Mrs. Ireland's mind and
made her insane.
Mr.. and Mrs. Ireland seemed happy in
their domestic affairs. Their home at the
corner of Gilbert and Woodburn is macnif-
Gently furnished: while both the husband
and wife moved in the most aristocratic
circles in the city. Mrs Ireland was twnn-
ty-seven years old, and n most beautiful
woman. In all social affairs for some years
past she was a leader. Until her first hus-
band died. any affair of the local 400 would
have been lacking without ner presence.
When Hervev died she turned to religions
and charitable works and was equally
prominent in them. She was no main sup
port of tho BantiSt church in Norwood
Mrs. Scllcw. the mother, said to the cor
oner that her daughter no doubt killed her
self as the result Of WORRY over a note of
500 she forced on her the mother some
time ago. She stated that her daughter
had been a spendthrift and had squander-
ed $4,000 that she had got by inherita nee
and otherwise since January /. 1892. She.
| herself, had given her some $1,000. Mr..
| Hervey, her first husband. died ignorant of
| the fact that his wife was living peyond
| her means. This extravaganza had con
| tinued since her second marriage six weeks
| ago, and all her money was gone.