The daily morning journal and courier., 1895-05-11
DID SHE COMMIT SUICIDE {?
LETTER FROM MRS. HAMMOND HAS BEEN FOUND BY HER DAUGHTER.

Has Been Acting Strangely Recently and
 She May Have Made Away With Herself.
 Mystic, May 10.-There were some new and important developments yes- terday concerning Mrs. Hammond of the Whipple home school at Mystic Mrs. Dr. John I. McGuigan, only daughter of Mrs. Hammond, for several years past a resident of Philadelphia,
 arrived at Mystic yesterday morning on the 1909 train from Philadelphia,
 although not coming directly from that city. Her Mystic friends and the teach
 CTS at the school did not expect her, land her appearance in town was sur prise.
 One of the teachers happened to be in
 Mystic about the time she arrived, and | lmeeting Mrs. Michigan they drove up
 ito the school
 l In an interview Mrs. McGuigan said: 'I do not care to make any statements t Ito the press in regard to the charges \ that have been brought up as can give < lvery little information. My mother left . lmy house early Monday morning at a s livery early hour and her departure was \ Sunlnown to me. I have not seen her lsince."
 Mrs. Michigan appeared to know l Ivery little about Mrs. Hammond's af-
 fairs, and what her side of the story { is in regard to the alleged fraud she 2 does not know Where Mrs. Hammond
 is at present is still a. mystery. A. P. Tanner, who is counsel for the < school was in Mystic yesterday and < visited the school, with the object of ! making an investigation. He was
 asked if he knew what the state eX- 4 Apected to do in regard to the matter, \ Ito which he replied, Tt Is currently re- < ported that the state has already begun 4preparations for suit Such course
 would be natural in the absence of E Mrs. Hammond, to anticipate other \ creditors. I am quite sure no effort will I be made to place her property beyond | the reach of the state."
 "Do you think that this affair will
 bring about any change at the school?' \ Was asked him.
 "As to that I cannot say. I see no reason why the school should not be 7 continued, as no one has questioned
 the great good that it has done" 4 When MT. Tanners attention was , called to the quandary in which the X officials Of the state are said to be in, Has to where a prosecution should be f begun for the offense claimed to have
 been committed by the late proprietress # bf the Home school, he expressed the . opinion that before the prosecution X eould be begun anywhere it would be ' necessary to discover Mrs. Hammond's f Whereabouts. That neither he nor her
 elosest friends had been able to do since . Monday, when she left her daughters home in Philadelphia, presumably to I lind employment as a. nurse in Camden, ] N. J. The most diligent search in the
 latter city has not resulted in finding \ her there, and discoveries made by her f Laughter since the latters arrival at < Ehe school in Mystic point to the possi- f bility that her mother has in some way . Disposed of herself, 1t is feared, by vio- lent means.
 Y Mrs McGuigan, on entering her [ nother's apartments in the Mansion
 house yesterday morning, found on the Bureau an envelope enclosing letter 8 Addressed to herself as follows:
 ITO Clara after I am dead. My . will or wfshes''
 The letter enclosed began with these words: ''To Clara, or whoever of my heirs that outlives me-" and went on to . lay among other things, "As there are
 Ehanges in my will that want made 4 f. it should stand, I shall destroy it. \ do not want to give anything to any { yne that cares nothing for me, and ac-
 ions tell. It is all right-probably best feel that there are very few who 11 ,Af
 erve it. My life was a mistake at best, and I want no one to mourn for . he. I shall be better off when I am
 through I never ought to have been born have found life hard, and
 riends who never failed me, few. Ev- ryone else will find the same if they : i've long l do not want my heirs to | < lave anything that belongs to anyone l
 lse.
 MARGARET HAMMOND" Y The letter bore no date but was evil ently freshly written. Mrs. Ham, | bond, it appears, has been acting |
 trangely of late. During her last visit 1
 her daughter she failed to disclose l 2he real trouble at home, and her l
 laughter did not learn the truth about |
 until advised by one of the instruct |
 rs at the school of the reports in the z Newspapers. Ther is also said to be a
 hinty of insanity in the family, and | Mrs. Hammond has now three relativ
 lready in the insane asylum. In view q t these circumstances the gravest ap-
 rehensions are felt among her friends
 to her personal saSetS.
 MT. Tanner said that he thought the < yhole affair would be settled to the
 htisfaction of all concerned, and that
 he excitement would soon calm down.
 Le visited the school and gained all the < Alformation possible there. Further
 han what has been stated there was
 pthing new that developed, as what is Eanted now is some information con
 erning the whereabouts of Mrs. Ham, Nond. 8The people of Mystic, who have had
 lsiness relations with Mrs. Ham, #ond. and who are familiar with her
 -evious character for uprightness and &ndor, as well as her helpful and sym hthetic disposition towards others in Xouble are 10th to believe that she ,
 Duld in her right mind be guilty of ,
 oh an offense as is now charged /, M FTy1.. c eazI !