Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-07-20
CASE OF SUICIDE
No Inquest Necessary Over Ellen Miller's
Body.
She Cama to Her Birthplace I'm Order
to Die-Had Friends In
Baltimore.


with the witnesses assembled at Lees I'M
dertaking establishment, he decided that
an inquest would be unnecessary, AMI he
issued a certificate of death by drowning;
and declared that it was a clear case Of
suicide
In consequence of this decision the Wit
nesses were discharged and preparations
were made for the burial of the body.
Miss Miller's relatives. who live in Balti-
more, reached the city this morning and
were at the undertaker's at II o'clock, the
Icur set for the inquest They positively
identified the body, and when the coroner
rendered his decision they made arrange
nents at once to have 1t placed this
afternoon in the vault at Mount Olivet
cemetery where the girls mother Is buried
1T Is a clear case of self destruction,
said the coroner to a Star reporter. Il
have talked with all of these people, and
there is not scrap Of evidence that gives
the shadow of suspicion Of foul play.
have only to do with the manner of the
girls death, and there Is so little question
that 1t was case Of suicide by drown
Ing that shall not go to the expense and
trouble of an inquest. I have nothing to
causes leading up to her unhappy and
fatal act. That Is none of my business,
and l shall not attempt to unravel the
mystery, IL there be one, that surrounds
her motives
Certain Identification.
The identification of the body was COM
plete and unquestionable. After the COL
oner had announced his decision all the
witnesses filed past the coffin in the chapel
back Of the office and those who knew the
girl In life agreed that the poor, wasted
form of the suicide was that of Ellen MIL
Ter. Mr.. w. H. Russell of Baltimore is
uncle to the dead girl. He and his wife
were present this morning 10 take charge
Of the remains Mr.. Russell said 20 The
this morning that TIE girl had no home or
place of shelter were untrue.
She Was Welcome.
"She had home. and good and welcome
one, under my roof" he said, land she
knew it. She visited my family about three
weeks ago. shortly after her employers
left the city, and spent about week with
US. She went with my daughters. and
seemed to be very cheerful and happy.
When she prepared to return to Washing
ton urged her to stay with US during the
summer or until she could get other en-
ployment / told ner she was welcome to
stay until Col. Graham's family came back
In the fall. She said she was sure to be
reappointed to her old place. and was quite
pleased with the prospect of living with
Mrs. Graham again. She was paid $40
month and was given her board, and she
thought that was a good wage.
But for some reason she refused to re-
main, and came back here and a few days
later one of my daughters received let
ter from her which was bright and cheer
full There was not hint Of suicide In 1t
nor a word of any trouble. mental or other
wise. Yesterday evening my daughter re-
ceived another letter from Ellen, saying
that she had decided to commit suicide
and that by the time of its receipt she wouid
be dead.
There was no word In this second letter
to Indicate why she had reached this con-
clusion, any inkling of her motive !
am at a loss to understand why she should
take her life. She had several places to go
to- in addition to mine. for there are friends
and relatives all over Baltimore who would
have been glad to give her shelter. I have
not had a suspicion that she was in want
or in need of help, or / should have sent
her money or come here after her.
"Ellen's mother died about a year ago,
and Stree then the poor girl has been very
much downcast at times and fear she
has brooded until she sought relief IN
death. She was born on farm out here
near what 1 believe they call Uniontown
(Anacostia), and was always quiet and re-
was eager for information. I have
notion that Of late she has been reading
more than was good for her, and has got
her head filed with melancholy and 10
mantle notions, that have crowded on her
until she thought of suicide 1 do not know
anything about her love AFFAIRS and did
she had a lover. She did not mention such
a thing to my daughters. with whom she
WAS very intimate 1 think she died a
good. pure girl"
Knew the River.
So 1t turas out that the girl sought death
near the scene of her birth, and the theory
of thu river men, who declared that the
suicide knew the nature of the river. ap-
pears to have been well founded. Facts
have come to light to show that the girl
was in COZ siderable distress for money dur
Ing the last few days, and that during the
early part Of the week she was forced to
seek aid from the police station, whence
She was turned over to this matron Of an
employment agency. But 1t seems that
she was then bent on destroying her life,
for she did not return. as she promised.
and Thursday night she made her way to
the river and plunged in. She was owner
of some property, Inherited from her moth
er, but it was unimproved, except one lot
on the Bladensbulg road, which rendered
return only large enough to pay the inter-
est on q small deed Of trust. Recently the
girl went to Mr.. John Larner, who. as
counsel of the Washington Loan and Trust
Company. YVES trustee of the estate, and
tried to effect some disposition of the prop
might use to give her better education
But Mr. Larner showed her that there was
little prospect of realizing at once on the
property. The gross value of the land is
probably about s., 600 with one or two trust
deeds. When Mr.. Larner told her these
facts and showed her that she could not
easily enter Wellesley College, which she
desired to do. she was grievously disap-
pointed. Tais was two weeks ago. and
probably Immediately after her return
from her uncle's house in Baltimore. and it
Is likely that 1t was this disappointment
that first started the chain of melancholy
thoughts that finally led to her self-de-
struction. 1t is stated that Miss Miller was
engaged TO be married to a young man
named johnson. who keeps a cigar store
In this city. She wrote a number of letters
just before she went to the river. telling
those in whom she was most interested
that she was about to die.
No News Of Dana Davenport.
Messrs. Walter w. Fisher and J. E. Hal
ley, friends Of the family of Rev. w. G..
Davenport of Anacostia, who went to Car
ter's Wharf, Va. several days since to
follow up a possible clew to the where
abouts of the missing son Of the latter,