The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1895-03-21
SECRET DISCLOSED.
The Woman Who Killed Herself Was
Miss Clara Hathaway.

(ho woman VINO hufeu ftcfscii w M
Miss Clara Hathaway.
NEW YORK, March 1.-THE identity of
the young woman who committed suicide
Ct the Adams House in Boston on Tuesday
has been established.
She had lived in the city for several
years, but never lived in Holyoke, II Is
said. She registered from the latter place
and signed fictitious nsme-M. {. Nor
ton-on the hotel register, for the avowed
purpose of hiding her identity, for she
went to Boston With her mind fully made
up to take her own life.
Clara Hathaway was the woman's
maiden name. Few here will recall her
by 1t. She had been married, but her
welded experience was short and un-
pleasant, and there are even fewer OF
those who knew her who had heard OF
the marriage.
Clara Hat haway was known in this city
by several other names, but the man who
supplied the information today establish
ing her identity with Miss NJ. @. Norton,
refused to divulge any OF them or to tell
the places In this city where she had lived.
He showed q letter written on Adams
House note paper and enclosed in printed
envelope supplied by that hotel. This
letter was written on Monday and received
here on Tuesday.
In 1t Miss Hathaway declared her in
tention TO commit suicide and she in
closed another letter 10 her brother In
Western State and check for her trunk,
which she wanted to be given to her
negro laundress.
The letter was evidently written by a
woman of refinement, who considered
herself in desperate moral straits, from
which she found she could not extricate
herself.
ure in everything and that she hoped her
attempt to kill herself would not be a
failure also.
She referred to the vial OF chloroform
with which she had supplied herself, but
Il seems that she did not rely on it as a
death agent, for she wrote that 1t was to
be taken to give her courage to send a
bullet through her "huttering heart"
The letter stated that the writer be-
lisved she had effectually concealed her
identity. Reference was made in it to
'sDick" and "Dick's friends" and an ex-
periencc with cab, the published stories
concerning which she declared were in
most particulars incorrect. The letter
was signed "Ada Hat thaway."
II don't know why she should sign
herself Ada when she knew very well
h.t 4 kor IN ha In eaiA
the recipient OF the letter.
"The only interest have in the matter
ID / want the girls identity established,
because do not think she ought to be
buried in the Potter's Field. For that
reason telegraphed her brother, notify
ing him OF the suicide, and forwarding
the letter inclosed by her as well.'
The mention in the letter of the cab in
cident refers to mysterious encounter
between q man and woman in West
Twenty-third street about three weeks
ago.
The man was in the cab and the woman
chung on the step OF the vehicle. vigor-
ously prodding him with her umbrella,
while the driver was urging his horse
uAODk toWdIu DIShtWhys Aho Wohhuh Was
pulled from the cab step, and both she
sRd her companion escaped without hav-
ing their identity established.
The woman was Clara Hathaway, and
the man the "Dick" referred to in the
letter she wrote telling OF her contem-
lated suicide.
This incident recalls another sensational
episode In the life of these two persons.
About year ago Miss Hathaway went to
Boston, her friends understood, for the
purpose of joining Rice's extravaganza
company.
There she met o wealthy shoe manu-
facturer, Richard Laird, OF the firm of
Laird & Ray OF Pittsburg. Mr.. Laird in
duced her to 20 to Pittsburg, and she
lived with him for several months, being