Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1895-07-02
GRIEF ENDS In DEATH
Hiss Wilkinson Commits Suicide in the
Second Presbyterian Church.
SD TRAGEDY DURING SERVICE.
Fatal shot Fired While the TinaI
Hymn Was Ds inf Sung-Foaud In
Breath.

Second Presbyterian church Sunday after
room by shooting herself through the
heart.
The tragedy. which was Distressing In
every particular, and one OF the most
sensational in Richmond's history. oc-
CURED near the close OF the & o'clock
service. Next 10 the last s:anza ~ the
closing hymn. Awake, My Soul. Stretch
Every Nerve" was being sung, when
some OF those In tho church heard what
was found later to have been the fatal
p!stol-shot.
The report was not loud one, and
some Of those upon whose ears it fell
thought II was only rock thrown against
"A window. Many. perhaps half OF the
congregation, had withdrawn from the
church, and were on their way home
before they knew what md happened.
The sad affair created great excitement
among those who were advised Of ii b.
fore leaving. but there We're 10 scene.
From wha, can be learned there seems
to be no doubt that Miss Wilkinson took
her life 10 end the intense grief that
she had experienced as result OF the
engagement that had long existed ~
tween her and Mr. r. -. Marques having
beer broken some time ago
DID NOT SEEM DISTURBED.
Miss wilkinson was member Of DR..
Hoces church. and attended quite regu-
larry. She was present AT tha morn rg
service. and after the congregation had
been dismissed chGted with hpr friends.
and seemed 10 be "a ker usual spirits.
When she left Home for the afternoon
/. service she had. without the knowledge
OF the family taken pistol from the
room OF her brOthcr-in-law and evidently
concealed 1t under her clothing. 1t was
with tnis th1t she ended h-r existence
she did not. ~ far as Is known enter
the main body II the church at al. but
went through the side Way into the lee
ture-rOom. where SHE vas seen before the
service commenced EaZ'ng 81 adfastly 80
pOrtraii of Or Hoe. she met the
janitOr. Joshua. greeted him ch'erily., ami
asked whether or not he Intended making
any change in the arrangements o. IN.
infant-class room. and upon receiving
ths assurance that ia did not intend d.
ing 20. thanked h 70. Joshua teen lft
her u 20 10 the loU I. ;Inp tee orgin,
and she closed the shutters SIN then
emerged into the hallway Immediately
~ ttlf4l Ait lNIfA dll irtNif al Aftr i|l fil
proper aud the iufant-ciass room. Seye al
tines she was seen walking 10 and fro
I'm front of the door leading into the
church. and although she acted s1m what
Gueerly nothing WAS thought Of her b.
hayior until IL Was recalled aftarwlrd
by tho rhootins. During tho sermon she
remained near the door o. the chuiCh
and apparently listened attentlvely 10 al
Or. HOge had To- say. When bc concluded
mis- discourse she returned 10 the ir'ant.
class room. where she ven deliberdt "
10 work making preparations 70 kin her
self.
MADE Careful PREPARATION
She careful, folded 'i-r gloves and aid
them. together with i'f ritasoI. on al.
ledge Of a hoOkcass ~ the room. and the
presumption is that she then drew the
pistol frcm her clothing. where she must
have c0nc'a 81 II. ard placing the mu2lle
against her loft breast IIed the shot
which terminated her existence The ball
penetrated the br,astb0ne through the
centre AMI nercod 'hc heart slightly 20
the right c-usiug al1o.t instantaneous
death. TIE unfortunate .aGv FL just be-
mind he dooi ard hetwe n n bench and
m" huoHcasf. on wliCh she had laid h-r
gl1rss and rarIsol. under window.
The shot was distinctly heard in the
church r. ;hose * tire Congregation who
wrle nearest tho pulpit. and many attri-
buted II 10 The explosion II % pOpcricher
or the breaking OF window. some boys
in the y ghborhcod having given con-
siderable annoyarc- OF late in this man
ner. None dreamed Of the real cause
The next 10 the List verse Of ihe closing
hymn was b ing sung. and M bene liction
was pronounced about Two III nutes there
after. so that il could not have been more
than three or -four minutes AT tn out
81 !e az 81 he shot WAS fired before tn
congreg ton WIS Dismissed
The nj GRITTY OF those who attended
the service went - the r homes without
any knowleIG- Cf what had iransp.iad
almost In Their mids'. hut several Of tn
officers # the church remained l. him
u inves lgate the noise IN = had heard.
Mr.. :. IL. HAYES was thc first ~ leave
the s1notrary through the rear door. and
he was closely followed bv Captain MAX
WI T. Clarke. When these gentlemen
rachel the t1ll M. Halves smeilcd the
fumes Of powder, AMI - lei MIR Clarke's
affection to it. MI Hawrs pushed open
In door f tho infant department, whicn
was partially Cioscd. ard the lyiug b--
hind th- door he discovered Miss VII
k!nsOn's body The lady VS. yet alive.
but Just as The fcntl -men reached hrr
she brcathed her last The lace on her
corsase nds aiiame. haying probibly IL
nitea from the fash of thc pistol, - jlGs-
ali the suicide place tte muZzlr To- her
hcs-m Mr.. Have quickly eXtlnguished
this. md an alarm was raised Mess n
gers were quickly dispatched Tor doctors
and severa physic ans promptly respond
Cd bur all too late 10 do any sood. as the
un,ortunite woman had .ons since de-
parted this life.
DR. HCGE DEEPLY GRiEVED.
In the mean TIM y: Iogc. following
his usual cgstom retired ihr0 81 The rear
door of the church. anu, n1ticing that
something unusual ha1 happened. hast
Cnen into the infanf-c,as5 room. Wlcre
he was greatly SHOCK when n hehell
Miss WilkinsOr's de-, body HIS grief
was most poirnint. and n gept bitterly.
Dr. HOgc is sad To have loved IN. do
ceased rs though she were one % his
children. and. therefore. the shock to him
WIS even greater imam IL would ordinarily
have been. lie was gotten out Of the
loom Is quickly as p9ss be and. with
lr. James Lyons. jr.. histcned 10 the
home OF Miss Wilkinslns PARENTS, No.
rtl west Main street. where the sad in
telligence was .mlarte - tn bereaved
parents.
The pistol with which Miss Wilkinson
killed herself was IN OIL army revolver
OF the Colt pattern. which belonged 10
her brother-in-law. NJ. Eisar Anderson.
IL was fvc-shooier. ana hal seen ser
vice during the var. On the stott was
engraved the name OF - y Smith.
Washington Blues" II w, kept by Mr..
And, -son In his room, ~ Mr.. WilSins1n's
home. and had been left by him lying
.,tt an Ia. Inf.rf4 . ~. ka.s
the deceased secured il some time during
SnnhaY and concealed Il ahcmf her ner-