The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1894-08-16
Lena Morris Ends a Career O
Shame.
SHE TOOK MORPHINE.
TOLD HER CELL MATE SHE WAS
TIRED OF LIVING.
The Woman Was Arrested Last Eve
ming For Being Intoxicated-
Nothing Known of Her History
Before She Came Hcre-The In
quest Set For Today.

Lena Morris, woman of the town,
committed suicide in her cell at the
city Jail last night.
At $40 yesterday afternoon, Officer
Davis took the woman in custody on
West Temple street on the charge of
drunkenness. She was taken to the
police station, gave her occupation as a
sport" and was put in the women's
department in the prison. Although
Lena had been drinking, she was not
badly intoxicated, and her arrest had
ably. She was placed in a cell occupied
by frankie Edds, another fallen wo-
man, who, in addition to other vices, is
"a morphine fiend.'' The cell door
was left open, and when Lena came
in, frankie had put a bottle partly
filed with morphine, on the wind ow
sill. Lena intimated that she was GO
ing to sleep and the Edds woman went
out of the cell and did not return for
some time. On entering, however, she
found Lena with the bottle of morphine
in her hand and asked her what she
was doing.
I've taken morphine" replied Lena.
II want to die, and am not going 20
live any longer"
frankie became alarmed and tried to
reason with the girl, INDEPENDENTLY
quieted her. but when sne returned
again, short time Afterwards, she
found Lena seated on the bed and
hacking at her wrist with a jagged
piece of glass which she had obtained
in the cell. Again she said she intend
ed to die and again Frankie reasoned
with her and finally Lena put aside the
glass, and went out to wash the blood
from her hands. The injuries were very
slight, and after the blood was removed
she put a handkerchief around her
wrist. Then she decided that she must
have some cigarettes and Officer Can
non was called in. He answered that
he would send UP the cigarettes, but
Lena remarked that she would be dead
before they arrived. She wasn't, how
ever, and after lighting Gig
arctic and taking a few puffs,
she threw it on the floor
and went to bed. This was at about s
O'Clock, and a little later frankie got
in bed with her but observed that Lee
mas breathing was heavy and labored.
She went to sleep, however, and did
not awaken until shortly after IL
o'clock. when her hand came in contact
with Lena's body, which she was
startled to find was quite cold Con-
Guiding that her cell mate had actual
ly committed suicide. she yelled vigor-
ously to the officers in the station and
when they went up at '";15, they found
the woman dead
frankie Edds and Cora Stacey, the
other occupants of the woman's de-
partment, were greatly wrought up
when they found that they had a corpse
with them, and had to be removed to
the dining hall until Coroner Taylor
took the body away. He will hold an
inquest this afternoon
Lena Norris was 2S years of age and
had lived in this city for over two
years, all the time leading a life of
shame. The police know nothing of her
antecedents, but information on that
subject will doubtless be elected today
George w. Thatcher, as IL Pony Ex-
press Rider, in Sundays Herald.