Omaha daily bee., 1896-02-09
PREFERRED DEATH TO WORRY
Typewriter Girl Commits Suicide by Taking
Morphine.
LEFT A NOTE PARTIALLY TELLING WHY
Had Been in Distress over what Is
Supposed to Have Been
Love AEnir-Homc In
is Illinois.

1t has long been held by those who have
made study of the subject that accidents
violent deaths and suicides are governed
strangely by the.rule of three. This belief
receives remarkable veri6caton just now, for
yesterday the third suicide within three days
was reported.
The victim was Fannie A. Sigler a young
woman % years of age, who died from the
effects OF an overdose of morphine, which was
without doubt taken with suicidal intent.
She was stenographer in the employ of
Parke Goodwin and resided at the residence of
her sister, Mrs Harry Webster, at s29 South
Twenty-frst street.
The fact that the girl had taken the drug
was discovered in the morning at 2 o'clock by
friend, Miss Nellie Matthews, who was
sleeping with her. In speaking Of the
matter, Miss Matthews said: Miss Sig
Ter had rolled and tossed during the early
part of the evening, but always in response
to my inquiries said that nothing was the
matter. At 2 o'clock, however, she began
to groan as If in great pain and summoned
Mrs. Webster.
'It was at once noticed that she had
passed into unconsciousness and a couple of
physicians were summoned They found that
she had taken morphine. They applied every
restorative in their power to save her, but
all efforts were unavaling, and at z o'clock
this morning she died without regaining con-
sciousness"
An investigation of the girls room was
made and In a pocket of her Jacket note
was found which left no doubt that the drug
had been taken with suicidal intent. 1t was
addressed to my dearest sister," and was
as follows:
II want you to take everything that be-
longs to me and use them. Put my new
dress on me. Don't think l am doing this
because l have been disgraced, for l have
not. l have contemplated 1t for some time.
l am worrying over one thing continually.
cannot stand 1t any longer. Parke Goodwin
owes me some money. If he does not send
1t up, go and get It, Treat him nicely. l
will be better off. l don't amount to any
thing, anyway. l am sorry did not get to
go home before and see mamma and grandma.
Tell them my last thoughts were of you all.
Now goodby and don't mourn. Your most
loving sister, 'FANNIE."
use what money there is in my purse"
Members of the Webster family disclaim
any knowledge of a reason for the deed.
They say that while Miss Sigler had been
despondent at times she had never limited
that she ever intended to kill herself One
circumstance, not noticed previously, had
led them, however, to the conclusion that she
had been contemplating the deed for some
time. This was her evident nervous desire
to be busted continuously, as If she wished to
ever since quarrel two years ago with
young man who frequently called upon her.
1t has been stated by friends that the girl
was deeply in love with him. They quar-
another girl. 1t is supposed that this is the
thing" to which she referred in her
note, for after the marriage she became
despondent. She had stated at times that
she wished she were dead, but never hinted
at taking her life.
The girl had been employed by Parke
Goodwin for almost three years. and while
her salary was not large, 1t was apparently
sufficient for her. She often expressed a
wish that she was .nS more expert but this
Miss Matthews, who is chum of
the deceased, says that she no
ticed nothing wrong with her friend ex-
cept that she appeared to be in very sober
and retired at 10 o'clock. Some minutes
later Miss Sigler left the room for a short
time to go down stairs, and it is supposed
that it was at this time that she took the
drug. She, however, said nothing about it
to her friend.
1t has been learned that Miss Sigler
had been in the habit of using morphine for
pains with which she was afflicted. The
drug was purchased in the form of powder,
and several packets, which evidently had
pocket. Mrs. Webster says that from the
presence of these papers she would have |
thought that she had died from acci- |
dehtally taking an overdose, If the letter |
had not been found.
Miss Sigler had been in the city for the |
past five years. She was in a school of |
for time, and from there went |
INTO Godwin's office. She came here from |
Marseilles, ILL.,, where her mother and |
St nsns Te Ss Her body will be sent to
will be held. as it is considered unneces-
sary.