The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1896-09-05
TOOK HER OWN LIFE.
An unfortunate Love Affair Causes a Bruns-
wick County Gill to Commit Suicide.
FOUND OANGLIaG BY A PLOW LINE
Fastened to Q JOist OF the smoke.
house In Her Pocket was Found
the Picture OF the Man Who Cans.
ed the tragedy She was only
Twenty Years of Age.

Petersburg. Va, Sent. 4.-(SpeciaD-
Intelligence was received here to-day of
the shocking suicide of Miss Ritchie
spencer. daughter of Mr.. Richard Spen-
Ger. Oh Brunswick county, which oc-
CURED Few days since. 1t appears that
about O'Clock on the morning of the
suicide Mrs. William Cunningham
2s.,ed Miss Spencer to walk over to one
OF the servants houses, which was close
DIV. and get for her chicken she had
purchased from one of the negroes. Miss
Spencer left ostensibly to get the chick
en- but not returning in an hour or
more. Mrs. Cunningham became un-
easv and asked her husband what he
thought had become of the young lady.
Mr. Cunningham told his wife that he
had not seen Miss Spencer. but that he
would walk down towards the smoke
mouse and see If he could find her On
arriving at the smokehouse. the door Of
which was opened, Mr.. Cunningham
was shocked to find the dead body of
MISS SpencerdanEling from the end of
a plow line. with which she had hanged
herself to ons of the joists of the build
ing. 1t Is supposed that after adjust
ing the rome around her neck and max
Ing 1t fast to the joists she got upon
the door and Jumped from it, Her
neck was broken. Inside of her dress
was the photograph of q young man
who formerly resided in Petersburg.
and had been paying her marked at
tention. On the back of the photograph
was written: Good bye Drewry. 7
never expect to see you again" Drewry
referred to was the young man who had
Deen waiting on her Mr.. CUNNINGHAM
Mt once conveyed the news of the tragic
death of Miss Spencer to Mrs. Gum
Hleham and then Immediately sent for
some OF the neiGhbors, and the Justice
OF the Peace. The Justice. after hear
Ing the circumstances of the finding of
the dead body of the young lady. decid-
cd that an inquest was unnecessary.
me oodv was cut down and prepared
for burial. The next day the poor girl
was buried at Concord Church, in
brunswick county. in the presence of
large asSemblage of sorrowing friends.
MISS spencer was about 20 years of age
ana most attractive young lady.
colored woman named Maggie Bon
ner. residing on Cuthbert's alley, at
tempted to commit suicide last night bv
taking laudanum
The annual convention of the Master
car and Locomotive Painters OF the
United States and Canada will be held
IN New York next week. Mr.. j. r.
Smith left this afternoon to attend the
convention.
The tobacco year will open about the
middle of October. which is month
carller than usual. The year generally
begins about the 18th of November 1t
is said that all crops are much earlier
this season than usual. | learned this
morning from gentleman from Din
widdie that while 1t is true that in some
localities In that county the tobacco
crop is short and the weed of inferior
quality. that in other localities the crop
Is fairly good one.
n nice rain fell in Dinwiddie county
YESTERDAY afternoon.
The following, taken from the books
OF the Central State Hospital. will be
read with interest: Applications on file
July 3lst for admission to the hospital.
20 males and A females; total. a. Ap-
nlications received during August. 1896,
males. II: females. 16: total, 30. Pa
tients received during August. males.
IL: females. Is: total. 81. Patients i'm
tail 3lst August. males. lG; females 30:
total. 46 Patients on bail. males, s: fe-
males. 1G: total. "A. Applications on file
%lst August. males "a; females. &C: total,
20 Patients admitted during August,
males. Is: females. is: total. 81. Died,
males. |: females, .: total, 3. On proha-
ton. m es 30: females, 90: total. 6S
In ward. males. 40l: females, 424: total,
S25. Total in hospital, males. 440; fe-
males. 453: total. S93. Increase, males.
IL: females. l6: total. 2S. Daily average,
males. 1920 1-100: females, 1906 LOO
Minnie Moore and Henrietta Hazel
hurst. the two little girls from Marion,
o.. who were picked UP by the police
here. an account of which has been
given in this correspondence, left for
their homes this morning.