The San Francisco call., 1896-02-19
A GIRL TAKES HER LIFE.
Alameda to Have a Permanen
Home for It's Library or
None.
Death of Captain A. H. Morse,
SeafaTing Man-Divorce
Granted.

ALAMEDA, CAL, Feb. 18.-The CITY
Trustees have set at rest all discussion as
to whether or not the library trustees
shall erect a temporary structure for the
use OF the library by passing resolution
forbidding action to that end. Civ At
torney Taylor submitted his opinion to
the board, touching on the right of the
library trustees to erect building or pur-
chase real property without the consent of
the Municipal Trustees, and it read as
follows:
To the Honorable the Board OF Trustees of the
City Of 4 A.ameda-GENTLEMEN Replying to your
inquiry, will state that under the act estab-
fishing free libraries the board OF trustees of
the free library and reading-room have au-
thority to purchase real estate and erect build
ings only with the consent and approval of
your honorable board.
This opinion settles the proposition to
build $500 temporary structure. There
are now but two things which the Library
Trustees can do. One is to remove into
the room in the new City Hall designed
for the library, and the other is to erect a
permanent building. A scheme for the
latter at present seems to be well ad-
vanced, and the proba bilities are that it
will go through. There seems to be no
legal obstacle IN its way, and it appears to
some the most satisfactory solution of the
matter.
Girls Unexplained Suicide
ALAMEDA, CAL, Feb 1s.-With an
eighu-ounce bottle of strychnine lying at
her side Lena Nelson, a comely girl about
q years of age, was found this afternoon
prone upon the bathroom floor in the resi-
dence of her EN- ployers, Mr.. and Mrs R.
s. Clark of 2111 Alameda avenue. It was
evident that the girl had taken the poison
with suicidal intent. She had made every
preparation for the commission of the
rash act and her desire to die was graft
fed. What her motive was does not
appear, for it was not known that
she kept company with any male
fortune lately befall her. When Mrs.
Clark left her home this morning at
o'clock to go on trip TO San Francisco
she did not notice that the girl appeared
to be troubled, but on the contrary she
noticed the girls light
Mrs. Clark arrived home again at almost
$50 o'clock, and upon opening the front
door saw a note lying on the carpet She
perused Its contents which read as follows:
Mrs. Clark: You will find the key to the
back door on the window sill by the porch
behind the blind. LENA,
Mrs. Clark did not understand the con-
tents OF the note until, upon searching
through the different rooms and coming
to the bathroom, she STUN bed across the
DoNy VI dci iole SYLVAN recovering from
her fright, she picked up the vial of strvch-
nine, which was entirely empty, and an
other note which she found by the girls
side. The second note gave the address
of her relatives. 1t was written on torn
and soiled piece of note paper and was as
follows: My aunt's address is 935 Santa
Clara avenue, Alameda; my sister, Eighth
and w ashlngton streets, Oakland; DR..
Demi, Fourth street and Telegraph avenue,
Oakland, Palmer House; key to my
room"
Deputy Coroner Smiley took charge of
the remains Of the suicide and will hold
an inquest tomorrow. 1t was his opinion
that the girl had been dead for at least six
hours, which leads to the belief that she
took the poison shortly after Mrs. CIark's
departure for the City.
A Divorce Granted.
ALAMEDA, CAL, Feb. 1S-Judge Frick
has granted Isabella Brock a divorce from
John c. Brock. They were married in
Alamo eda May TO- 1898, and have one child.
The ground set forth by plaintiff was ex-
treme cruelty, which eliminated in No
ember, 1895, as is alleged, when the de-
fendant fired pistol at plaintiff with
intent to kill her. An answer was made
to the suit, but there was no contest at the
trial. The plaintiff was awarded the Gus
tody of the child and $40 alimony.
Death of Captain Morse.
ALAMEDA, CAL, Feb. 1S.-Captain A.
H. Morse, retired mariner, died this
afternoon at his residence, 1893 Union
street. He had been i'll for long time of
complication of diseases-dropsy, kidney
troubles and general debility-and the end
was not unexpected. Captain Morse had