Richmond planet., 1896-12-19
ENDED HER LIFE.
A CRAZY FEr1ALE'S
MANIA,
One of the Cured Inmates
From Williamsburg.
VERY NAD EMDIAG
a VERY SAD ENDING.
4 White Inmate OF the Aims
house Responsible

After having made three Intellectual
attempts to end her life, Mrs. Louisa
w. Hicks. succeeded early Friday
morning. l1th inst in killing herself.
She hanged herself with the sheets
from her bed in the City Almshouse
shortly before o'clock, and did so de-
spite the fact that a guard had been
placed over her with instructions to
keep her continually in sight.
MIND NOT souND.
Shortly after her marriage to Mr.
Hicks, who was engaged as a fireman
on the Southern railway, she began to
show signs OF insanity and after the
birth OF little daughter her mania be-
came so pronounced that her husband
had her placed in the State Hospital
in Williamsburg When she was dis
charged from there as cured he moved
Danville, and took her and their
child to that city. Not very long after
they had settled in Danville Mr.. Hicks
was killed on the road, being run over
by train. The widow, with her little
girl, then returned to Richmond, and
TOOK up their residence with one of
their friends. on north Sixth street.
On the evening of the 10Th of Sep
tember last. Mrs Hicks. who had grown
very despondent, cut her throat with
case-knife, and almost succeeded in
killing herself. She recovered, how
ever, and was sent back TO Williams
burg. Her child was then placed in
the Infants humane Asylum, on the
corner OF Seventh and Leigh streets.
THE WAY THEY CuRR THEN
On Monday the 7th inst. Mrs. Hicks
was discharged from williamsburg
as cured, and she came directly to
Richmond, and on Tuesday morning,
Sth inst, at empted to drown herself.
Being prevented from accomplishing
her purpose, she was taken to the aims
house. where on Thursday, 10th inst,
she hanged herself. and almost succeed
ed in ending her life. She was cut
down before life was extinct though,
and revived, but Friday morning she
again hanged herself, and succeeded in
putting "a end to her existence.
When he unfortunate woman made
the third attempt on her life, Superin-
tendent Davis, of the almshouse, de-
termined to avoid. If possible repeti-
tion of her suicidal attempts while she
was in his custody. and detailed two
inmates, Shinault and Jennings, to al
ternate in watching her, with instruc-
tions to keep her continually in sight
and to prevent her from doing violence
to her person.
THOSE SLEEPY WATCHERS.
Shinault was given the early watch
that is, from to 1 O'Clock, and Jen-
nings was to relieve him instead
however, the two made a compact, and
Shinault was left to do duty all night
About O'Clock. Mrs. Hicks, who had
apparently been sleeping soundly
awoke and asked her guard TO close the
door for few minutes He did as re-
quested, and then dozed off.
SMALL, BUT POWERFUL.
AS soon as the door was closed Mrs
Hicks, bursting her arms from the
strait-jacket which bound them be
hind her, and tearing her sheet into
strips wound these together, making a
strong rope, which ne tied around heI
neck. She then stood on a chair and
fastened the other end around the wiz
dow grating and kicked the chair
from under her.
Shinsnlt, after doing only a few
minutes, awoke with a start and rush
ing into the room found Mrs. Hickl
dead he hurried to the office and no
titled the watchman. who gave tn,
alarm, and the Doctor visited tn,
room. In the mean time, the limp bod,
had been cut down and laid on the bed
and there was nothing left for the doc
tor to do, but to notify the Coroner.
INQUEST UNNECRssARY.
An inquest was not deemed necessa
nd 2 t.rNA
family of the deceased. Undertake
Laube prepared it for burial, afte
which it was taken to the home of Mr
William B. Devine, No 1919 west Car
street, II ON which residence the fun
eral took place The deceased was
member of the First Presbyteria
Church