The herald., 1896-03-05
The SUICIDE At WESTLAKE
A Young and Good.Looking
Woman Tired OF Life
MINNIE JUDY THE NAME
A Girl, So Far as Known, Of Excellent
Character
Nethlne Known Of the Causes That lmpeIled
Her on to Sslf.Destruction-A Troubled
r1ind Seeks Troubled Waters

The body Of woman, apparently about
rs years Of age, prepossessing in appear
unce, we'll dressed, and showing evidences
Of rs finement, was found floating in the
water at Westlake park yesterday morning
by . passer-by. At about 1880 o'clock.
while on his way to his work down town,
Fred Franks saw, in passing along the
Heventh-street side of the park, woman's
hat floating on the water and near by on a
bench cape. He Immediately made an
investigation, and on closer approach no.
ticed what appeared to be a dress on the
surface Of the lake. Beneath the ripples
could be discerned the form of a woman
resting face downward in about five feet of
water. He Immediately went for help and
the lifeless body was drawn ashore.
1t was evident that death had ensued but
q few hours previously, as the body was
but slightly affected by it's immersion. The
body was that Of young woman of the
blonde type, somewhat above medium
height, and weighing in the neighborhood
Of 125 pounds. The hair was of sandy
color and the eyes blue. In life she had
apparently been comely woman of mid
die station. When found the corpse was
fully dressed with the exception OF hat and
shoes, and was lying in shallow water some
fifty yards to the west of the new boat
house and band stand at the foot OF the
steep bank which at that place descends
to the lake from the sidewalk on Seventh
street.
Officer Mercer soon arrived and the au-
thorities were notified and the body re-
moved from the gaze of the curious throng
which had by this time gathered to the un-
dertaking rooms of Orr & Hines on Broad
way near Seventh street. Here the drip
ping garments were removed and an al
tempt was made to establish the identity of
the mysterious suicide, for such it proved
to be.
In the pocket of the dress was purse
which contained but a few cents in change
and pawn ticket issued on February 26
by ''Uncle' Morris, a Main street pawn
broker, for S5 on a ladies' gold watch.
This bore the name of Nellie Emerson and
113 South Main street as an address. Both
name and number were found to be fcti-
tious, although Morris remembered the
woman who hnd pawned the timepiece on
the date named. Numbers of people,
hearing that a body had been discovered i'll
the lake, called at the morgue, but it was
not until late in the afternoon that posi-
tive Identification was made AT o'clock
w. Davis, son of the proprietress of the
Menlo hotel on South Main street, saw the
Minnie Judy, who had been employed by
his mother as domestic at the hotel for
the past two years.
Some ten days ago she had left her en-
ployment and since then they had heard
nothing of her until finding the body on
slab in the morgue. Davis stated tnat the
girl had always conducted herself in q be-
coming manner while at the Menlo and he
could ascribe no cause for the commission
of the deed. Later in the afternoon w. h.
H. Reavis, who runs lodging house at No.
113 East Third street. came to the under
taking pariors and identified the body as
that of young woman who had week
ago last Sunday rented room of his wife.
She was seen but little while in the house,
not seeming to care to associate with the
other dodgers. Nearly all day Wednesday
had been spent in her room and when she
left is not known.
She was in the habit of caring for her
own apartment, and the bed yesterday
morning was neatly made and showed no
evidences of occupancy during the night.
In the room wei g several articles OF femi-
nine wearing apparel and some letters
which had evidently been written to her by
brother. No word or note was left to tell
the tale of her distress that led to the
dreadful deed, and the only explanation
that can so far be given is a love affair of
some description. Mr.. Reavis states that
on last Sunday night she had a gentleman
, her: SNOW, be sure and be there, and
don't disappoint me-" From this it is in
ferred that an appointment of some kind
was made. but whether kept or not is not
known. She had appeared to be short OF
money and had paid only portion OF the
rent of her room for the week.
The poor girl must have been
In great distress and anguish to
10 out into the pelting rain and walk all
the way to the lake. there to make deliber-
ate preparations for death, and calmly
throw herself into the water.
Conductors on the electric cars do not
remember of carrying any passenger an
swering her description, but one states that
his car was stopped at late hour by a
woman, who answers description OF de-
ceased, who asked the distance to the
park. He offered her ride on the car,
but she turned away and disappeared in
the darkness.
Coroner Campbell took charge of all the
dead girls effects and will hold an inquest
this morning at the undertaking rooms.
Miss Judy gave her name at the Third
street house as Nellie Emerson. the same
as on the pawn ticket. She came originally
from Portland, Ore, where, it is under
stood, her parents reside. For some time
past she has been keeping company with a
man who is said to be fireman on the
railroa d, although it has been impossible
rs yet to ascertain his name. When dis
covered he may be able to throw some
light on the mystery now surrounding the
tragic suicide.
The brother of the dead woman is John
Judy, who lives on Anacortes street, WASH
ington, Oregon. A sister-in-law, Mrs.
Orma Judy, also resides in Niagara, Orc
county, that state. kilograms have been
sent notifying them of the suicide, and ask
ing what disposal shall be made of the re.
mains.
LOS ANGELES W. c. TT.
Holds Its Fourth Annual Meetlng-EIection
of Officers