The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1895-08-01
HER SUICIDE HAUNTS HIM.
PitifuI Tale of Tragedy in a Rich Family
in New York.

/ New York. July 31-The suicide OF
: Lily Low in New York has opened the
| doors of another family skeleton closet
and unearthed a sensation which has
/ set all New York agog. She was the
| daughter Of James Lew, Jr., at one
| time connected with the well-known
dry goods firm Of Low & Co. For
, many years the skeleton has been in
the Low closet, but the sad death of
the young woman. apparently by her
own hand, has exposed it.
Twenty-Five years ago her father fell
! in love in Paris with a Frenchwoman
Supposing her to be unmarried. He
soon discovered that she had a hus-
band. but he continued TO live with
her. and she bore him six children, five
of whom she killed by various methods.
One Of them she drowned in tub of
freezing water and another she suffO-
Gated with cologne. Lily's life was
spared for some unknown reason.
When Low discovered the criminality
Of the woman he left her. and taking
his daughter with him he returned TO
this country. He remained here few
years and then went back 10 France.
He discovered that the woman had
taken up with another man, by whom
she had children. She was in a desti-
tute condition. but he came back again
to America without helping her and
brought Lily with him. They went to
live with a Miss Hanson in New York
City, with whom the girl became a
close friend. The father did not ap-
prove of the friendship and changed
his residence. Shortly afterward he
had the grip, and while sick the daugh-
ter disappeared. Low charged Miss
Hanson with having enticed her away
Nothing was heard of her until tho
other day, when the dead body IF the
poor girl was found at Washington
Heights. showing evidences Of suicide.
The father of the girl has been ostra-
cized by the other members of the
wealthy and respectable family to
which he belonged, and a letter which
Lily wrote To her father on the eve of
her suicide. if it he correct in its state
ments, sufficiently justifies them In
this letter she says that from the first
day she came into the world life has
been burden and constant struggle
with sickness and misfortune" She re-
called the way in which she was neg
lected as child and her dreadful i'll
ness in consequence of it; the effort of
her unnatural mother to strange her
with a hectic; the quarrels between
him and his mistress in Paris and his
effort upon one occasion to kill the lat
ter: and the cruel fortunes and punish
ments inflicted upon herself by both
Of them. SIZE reminds him that in
March last after she had been severely
i'll he dragged her by the hair across
the floor. brutality kicked her about the
head and body. and told her he had
disinherted her. Thereupon she left
him and went to live with Miss Han
son. She says lit would be the hap
pest dream Of hope l have ever had if
! knew / could stay with her as long a
live She did not stay long. She
suddenly disappeared. and the next
chapter in her mysterious case was the
finding of her dead body.
The question now puzZling the au-
thorities is whether the unfortunate !
girl committed suicide after being
as charged by the father. or /
was murdered. Three or four parties |
are under arrest upon suspicion of 4
guilty knowledge. if not completely, in /
Ter taking off. The only thing known |
With certainty is that the poor girl is /
lead and a rest The other members !
II the family would not allow her to he /
buried in the family lot where their
mother lies. OF this Liiy's father !
makes no complaint and discloses more |
II the family misery in the following
declaration:
| have been driven out Of nv right
III place by my brother Joseph and
'iiNer Hartman. and sooner than lie !
" my brothers side I'd he put into !
he sea. l don't care who knows il.
ny eldest brother John and myself |
ave been forced out Of our places in
ne family and treated like pauners.
hey have threatened. as | know. 10
VI OH my allowance and leave me IN
tarNe- Well. If they want To do II
hey can. l don't care. 1t doesn't mat
Pr what becomes of me now. The truth
aust go forth 10 Tho world