The record-union., 1895-05-14
SAD CONDITION OF A YOUNG GIRL.
While Despondent She Attempts to
XIII Herself.
She Stole Away From Home and
Sought Death in Field Near
the American River.

Word came from Routier Station yes
terday that young woman named Lulu
Writ, whose mother is housekee per in
the family of ex-senator Routier, shot
herself on Sunday, with suicidal intent,
while in fit of dementia.
In the morning Miss Writ left the
house and soon disappeared in the brush
in the vicinity of the American River.
She had been under surveillance for sew
eral weeks, as she was evidently suffer-
ing from melancholia or some other
mental disorder, and as soon as her alb
sence was discovered members of Senator
Routier's family and neighbors set out TO
find her.
They searched the fields and brush
patches, but without avail. Finally.
about IL O'Clock at night, shot was heard
in the direction of the river, and soon
afterward Miss Writ was found lying on
the ground near a pond, with bullet
wound i'll the right breast. She was re-
moved to the house, and DR.. q. A. White
of the County Hospital was immediately
summoned by telephone. Assisted by
DR.. T. Reith, he extracted the bullet.
which it was found had passed down
ward, fracturing three ribs, and lodged
at the seventh rib. AS the wound is not
necessarily fatal, the wounded girl may
recover.
The pistol used by her could not be
found. 1t was probably thrown into the
pond after the shot was fired. W mere
she procured the weapon is not known,
but as Mrs. &c. Patterson, a neighbor, had
missed one. 1t is thought that Miss Writ
may have taken it. Nothing is known
of the immediate circumstances OF the
shooting. as the wounded girl was in no
condition to talk about the affair.
The case OF Miss Writ is a very singular
one. Up to the 18th OF last month she
had been apparently in the best of health,
both physically and mentally. About
the 1st OF April she came to this city with
her mother, both in search of employ
ment, having been deprived of small
income they had until recently received
from the estate of a deceased relative.
They took a room at a lodging-house
on Third street, between and X, where
they remained for a couple OF weeks,
when Mrs. Writ obtained the position of
housekeeper in ex-senator Routier's
family. She left her daughter. very
pretty and lady-like young woman of
about 20 years of age, with the landlady
of the house. saying she would pay for
her room until the girl might secure
a place in some family.
\ few days after Mrs. Writ left the city
the daughter went out for a walk. She
did not return that night, but early the
following evening she was escorted TO the
police station by young man VINO was
engaged in chopping wood near the
American River, about on line with
Twentieth street. She was hatlesS, and
her gown was slightly torn, aud she ap-
peared 10 be in a half-stupor.
The young man said that about dusk
that evening. just as he and his partner
were preparing their supper, the girl
wandered into their cabin and sat down.
They asked her who she was and what
she wanted, bat could get very little in
formation from her. She aid manage TO
tell her name, also that of the landlady
OF the house where she lived in town,
but did not appear able to give any ac-
count of herself. They offered her sup
per, but she would not eat.
At the police station she was induced
to drink little strong coffee, which re-
vived her somewhat, and, accompanied
by Captain Greene and RECORD MON
reporter, she went direct to her lodging
house. She seemed at a loss to under
stand what had occurred, her mind be-
ing clouded, but by persistent inquiry
some Information was obtained.
Ali she knew was that she started out
for walk, and then she said she wanted
to go TO her mother, and had set out to
find her. She did not know where she
had wandered, but remem bered sleeping
all night In the brush. She had lost her
hat, and was looking for it when she
came across the woodchoppers' cabin.
1t was thought at the time that the girl
had fallen in with some unscrupulous
person or persons who had induced her
to drink, and that she had been drugged,
but she said she could not remember
having been in the company of anyone.
Two days passed, and her mental con-
dition did not improve, so her mother
was notified, and she came to the city
and took her home with her. The proba-
bility is the girl became low-spirited
when left alone by her mother, and that
she grew nervous and set out to find her;
that she lost her way, and became so
frightened that her reason was partially
dathrOned