The San Francisco call., 1897-01-05
THE PRICE Of
LOVE WAS DEATH
Barbara Groom Kills Her
self for Joseph V.
Pidgeon.
A Frightful Death Follows a
Large Dose of Carbolic
Acid.
Her Farewell Letter to the Destroyer
of Her Happiness Was Indeed
Pit ful.

Barbara Groom, young country girl
from Colusa, committed suicide at 400
Geary street, early yesterday, because she
was unable to secure the love OF the man
of her choice, and because she was heartily
sick of the low life she was leading.
Whether the awful pangs of carbolic
poisoning or those of unrequited love
were the more poignant can to some ex-
tent be judged by several letters left by
the girl.
From all accounts she came of poor but
respectable people, who keep hotel in
Colusa. Within the past few months she
met an electric worker named j. V.
Pidgeon. who is employed by T. F. Holtz
of 546 Mission street. About Christmas
time Miss Groom left the old people in
the little country town and came to the
City to bask in the smiles of the man for
whom she died. She took room at 4O2
Geary street and the people there knew
but little of her life or associates.
Her letters, written just before her
death, showed that she had gone the
way of many poor deluded girl who
loved not wisely but too we'll for her own
purity or peace of mind. In these letters
she writes of frequenting the saloons and
of PLAYING fast and loose with strange
acquaintance. Reading along the lines
and between the lines shows that for all
of this degradation her whole soul was
wrapped up in the man for whom she
died.
The first lntimatio that there was any
thing wrong at the odging- house was the
discovery that the deluded girl was dying
from the effects of carbolic acid. DR.. Dud-
ley was called, but he could not do any
thing. A little later the body was in the
Morgue and the Coroner was in possession
of the letters, pi,iful Acknowledgements of
a ruined life and shame too revolving for
description. Thew were written upon
cheap paper, and in one corner a gaudily
painted rose appeared, emblematic of the
tender passion a strange condition the
girls mind must have been in, for only
once did she think Of hereafter, and that
not darkly, for she wrote:
My own darling. when we meet on the beau
tiful shore we shall join hands and think of
the day we met; of the happy time we had to-
gether. as lovers 90. But first Was taken
away and then you came.
The principal document-her pitiful
letter to Pidgeon-was, in part, as fol-
lows:
sAN FRANCISCO Jan. 4. 1896.
Nh OtDH Pet: / snail send this letter to you
by the messenger-boy. Keep it, pet, for this
is the last one I'll ever write to you. Ill be
sure you get it now. / will take carbolic acid
has been a perfect torment to me, no differ
ence how try to avoid it, You know l am
crazy about you, still don't bla me you for
not marrying me. Don't ever marry any one
against your wishes, pet, 1or you never can
love them. Enjoy yourself, pet; that
is my only wish. Keep away from my friend
do with her. Only speak to her and treat her
as friend. l have friends, but
friends are not lovers, and one is worth more
and dearer to me than my life. Pet,
II L mad lived and caught TALKING in
any way lovingly to another girl 1 would
have killed you and she, too
Pet, would have you go with me, but
know you can't. But now you tell me YOU
intend to go 10 Mexico with those machines
wish you will have good luck with them
and don't be foolish. my own darling, and
don't give up your job and trip for me; but
say there is only one girl gone 10 - 10 make
room for another one.
lam just after getting carbolic acid.
1t will be fearful death, know. but that's
nothing, pet. The reason l took this was be-
cause you never loved me, so had no desire
to live. So good-by, pet; be good boy. l
hope when you see me I'll be dead; SO this
is all for you, for this time and ever. Remem-
Der me forever and think what foolish girl
was 10 do this.
We are parted for ever and ever. 1 wish
you good luck. / will remember you and die
thinking of my darling Joe. have written
this letter Sunday, and this evening have $7
and pll blow it all in. got 80 cents worth of
carbolic acid, so l guess that will burn the
insides out OF me. $3.50
The little country girls letter was signed
'as ever, your own broken hearted and
true.-'B.'" Attached was note 10 the
Coroner telling that official that she had
died by Ter own hand.
The misguided girl has brother who
keeps lodging-house on Stockton street,
but he did not know anything about his
sisters whereabouts recently, or why she
left her home. He is not acquainted with
Pidgeon.
1t seems that several charitable people
heard of Miss Groom's life recently, and
made an effort to save her and send her
to the Salvationist Rescue Home, but she
refused all help and clung to the man for
whom she sacrificed her life.