Kansas City daily journal., 1896-12-18
WOULD DIE ON HER BIRTHDAY
AN UNHAPPY WIFE DRINKS POISON
IN SODA.
Mrs. Lillian Turner Saved by the Po-
lice Snrgeon-Had Written u Pa
thetic Letter to Her Hus-
band, u Bookmaker.

Mrs Lillian Calhoun Turner, wife of
Robert s. Turner. bookmaker. attempted
to kill herself about $50 o'clock yesterday
afternoon by taking arsenic in Emery,
Bird, Thayer & Co.'S store. She had just
purchased the drug in W. P. Hucke's drug
store, on the opposite corner, and, walk
ing into the dry goods store, she ordered
glass of soda. Before drinking the soda,
Mrs. Turner poured portion of the arsenic
into it and drained the glass.
She did not get much of the poison, as
glass and this saved her life. What she
did secure, however, made her violently
ill, and, walking into D. C. Prudden's
store, at 1O17 Walnut street, she dropped
into q chair in faint. Some one in the
store realized Mrs. Turner'S condition and
telephoned for the police ambulance. 1t
came in a few minutes with Surgeons Hyde
and Landon and Mrs. Turner was removed
to Central police station, where she was
treated and about s o'clock pronounced out
of danger. She was later removed to the
Sisters hospital, at Seventh and Penn
streets.
Mrs. Turner is beautiful woman. but
seems to have married unhappily. She is
the daughter of Rev. ]. C. Russell, Bap-
tist minister at Dallas, Tex, and was mar
ried to Turner in March, 1894 in Omaha
They came to Kansas City in July of the
present year and went to live at 1loS Cher
ry street, Turner being employed on one
of the books at Exposition race track.
7 A.
ing house at 312 East Twelfth street, where
it is said Turner began to abuse his wife
and accuse her of being intimate with a
saloonkeeper named Burke.
Mrs. Turner says her husband would oft
en- come home drunk and assault her with
| out the slightest provocation, blacking her
| eyes with blows from his fists, and curs-
| ing her. Wednesday morning early he en-
| tered their room after being on a debauch
| and. she claims, beat her shamefully. She
| had borne his ill-treatment until yester-
| day, when she made complaint to Acting
Chief of Police Flahive, who ordered Tur-
ners arrest on a charge of assault. He
was arrested by Detectives Hayde and
| OHare and gave bond for his appearance
| to-day in police court. NJ. ]. QHearn, a
| saloonkeeper signed the bond.
After his arrest Turner went in search of
| his wife, but could not find her. She avoid
| ed him by coming downtown, and, rather
| ishment at his hands, decided upon death.
| She had written letter to her husband
which was found on her person at the po-
| lice station. 1t read:
"Bob:-No doubt this will be a surprise
to you. By this time you know have had
| you arrested. But / will never appear
| against you. I did it in the heat of passion
| and was sorry and ashamed ten minutes
| afterwards. l hope have not put you to
| any inconvenience in acting as I have. Last
| night you said 1 liked Mr.. Burke better
| than you, so go to him. I tell you, and he
| will tell you, that 1 am innocent of the
| wrong you accuse me of. Let him clear
| my good name in your eyes. You may
never see me again on this earth, but ]
| wish you all the happiness in this
| world, and may. you reach the other
You very well know the pain 1 am
| in and will suffer both physically and men,
| tally, and remember at all times when you
| are going through lffe that you have
| wrecked young life and sent young
| girl to HI. Remember, too, that I was
| cast out, alone, without one penny, with
| out a friend to turn to and what looms
| up before me is poverty, shame and dis
| grace. But 1 have looked at them all, and
| rather than that, 1 prefer death. When
this reaches you I will be dead. Go tc
Mrs. Simmons and get my trunk. Send II
| to my mother and say to her that I was
| driven by you to my death. Since I have
| been your wife, I have been true: loyal
| Not an untrue thought has entered my
| head. You have been my life; my all. Al
| all times, and in all your troubles, I have
clung to you. have suffered poverty with
you and in turn 1 get my heart crushed
| my life forever ruined. Send my clothes
| to my mother. God bless the angel one
| and tell my little sister to take warning
| from me. May God bless and protect the
hand that was raised to strike young life
| out of existence. Good-by, forever May
prosperity and happiness ever betide yor
is the wish of LILLIAN.
"P. S.-For brother Kelly's birthday ht
had his arm cut off. For mine. death.
| ar