The herald., 1896-04-25
BEAUTIFUL WOMAN SUICIDE
A Young Wife Takes Morphiue With
Fatal Results
she Had Been Acting Strangely OF Late'
and Was Probably Temporarily
Insane

Notwithstanding the efforts made by
the physician to save her life, beautiful
Iva Smith Barandon died between q
and o'clock yesterday morning from
the effects of q dose of morphine taken
with suicidal intent, at the residence
of her sister, 446 Wall street.
On the 10th of last October Iva Smith,
II yea rs old, was welded by Justice of
the Peace w. G. l.. Soule of San Ber-
nardino to Augustus Barandon, a young
man of "a, whose occupation was that
of bartender. The young couple lived
happily together for some time, but
finally Barandon lost his job and was
compelled to seek elsewhere for work.
A week ago last Sunday Barandon came
to Los Angeles, his wife having pre-
ceded him by one day. When she came
to town Iva met girl friend Of hers
named Kingsbury Together they went
to Compton to spend Sunday with some
Of Miss Kingsbury's relatives. They
were Joined there by Barandon, who
came back to the city with them the.
next day.
The time since then has been spent.
by husband and wife together, he hard
ly leaving her for more than half an
hour at a time OF late she has seemed
morose and discontented, and her man
ner has been strange. All day Thurs.
day she did not speak to her husband
and seemed to avoid him. THURSDAY
afternoon she spent in company with
Miss Kingsbury doing little shopping
about town. Along about IL o'clock at
night she came to her sisters house,
Mrs. Hannah Aurant, and said she was
going to stay all night. After being.
there a few minutes she took out OF her
pocket a small bottle, emptied the con-
tents into a glass of water and drank
the mixture. Nothing was thought or
this by Mrs. Aurant, as she was IN poor
health and took a great deal OF medi-
cine, and she supposed that 1t was only
an ordinary dose. Then Iva sat down a t
the table, and securing piece of paper
bag, wrote the following note In lead
pencil: 50
II die tonight of my own free will.
take morphine. IVA.
This note was left lying on the table
alongside the bottle, and the ladies
prepared for bed. Iva sleeping with her
sister and tie latter baby. Both retired
and Mrs. Aurant quickly fell asleep.
Not long afterward she was awakened
by Iva's heavy breathing, and shook her
and asked her what was the matter.
The latter replied that she felt sick at
the stomach, but turned away saying,
Don't bother me-"
Mrs. Aurant again doZed off, only
to be again awakened by the stertor-
Gus breathing of the girl. Again she
aroused Iva and received the request
not OF bother her. Once more dropping
to Sleep an hour later the sister awoke1
and becoming thoroughly alarmed at
Iva's condition called her husband who
went for a physician. DR.. Finch re-
sponded. it then being after O'Clock
in the morning, and soon saw that the
girl had taken morphine and was in a
precarious condition. Every means was
employed to recuscitate her, but after
working until past Z O'Clock in the
morning she died, having been uncon-
scious from the time she was discov-
cred.
Barandon, coming down to the house
to look for his wife, was met by Aur-
ant who impaired the sad news of her
death. The body was removed to Orr
& Hines parlors and the coroner no.
titled. An inquest was held at 1870
in the afternoon, at which DR.. Finch,
the husband. Augustus Barandon, the
sister and Iva's father, Charles w.
Smith, testified. The later nd been no.
titled by telephone, and arrived in the
city Just in time to attend the inquest
Mrs. Aurant could give no reason for
the suicide, and said that she paid no
attention, to Ivas writing the note
thinking she was simply scribbilg. The
husband said they had always lived
happily. He had left his wife only a
short time each day to go to the en-
ployment office in search of work. The
and said she had been born and raised
in San Bernardino a verdict was
quickly reached by the jury. who found
that 1t was suicide by morphine, ad-
ministered by her own hand. Late in
the afternoon the remains accompanied
by the husband and father We're taken
to San Bernardino for interment.