The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1897-09-04
WEARY OF LIFE.
MRS. JOS. ROBERTS, A NATIVE OF
CECIL COUNTY, BROWNS HER
SELF IN ELKTON.
DeSpondent Over Ill Health, She Leaves
Her Home in West Philadelphia
and Comes Here to End
Her Unhappy EX-
iStence.

a sad and pathetic ease in Elktou this week
was the finding Of the body Of Ms. Joseph
Roberts. of West Philadelphia. n native of
this county, who, driven to desperation by Ill
health, left her happy home and came here
the scene OF pleasant visits in her girlhood
days-to end her life by drowning in the Big
Elk Creek, within sight of the bridge crossing
the stream on Delaware avenue.
The body was discovered shortly alter Ave
o'clock on Sunday afternoon. Alfred Marcus
and Miss Annie Wilson being startled while
standing on the little island. in this plrt of
the stream, n short distance below tn" hour-
ing mill of Davis & Vnsinger, to see II corpse
rise to the surface o; the water close to tie
opposite bank. Young Marcus hurried off
and gave notice TO Coroner William ?. Dean,
and the body was soon brought to the slore.
AT Ia, pHIAt Were it rose tp the surtac" are
trees protrudin-: over tn" bauk. and although
else where shallow, there close to the shore
the cr1eh has duplh at nl=a tide ri fully
six feet Some little difficulty WIS expert
enccd i'll discninnguy the remains from the
roots Of the trees. Dr. John H. lamar was
one of the first on the scene aud made hur-
ried examination of the body. There were
several cuts on the face, while the throat
displayed one cash. The face had
been mutilated by crabs and fish, making
identification by the countenance impossible.
The body bore no other marks and the cloth
ing was not disarranged, otherwise than
would have been caused by its being in the
water.
NEWS SPREAD RAPIDLY.
The news spread rapidly throughout the
town and the quiet of Sunday gave place to
considerable excitement. Several hundred
people hurried to the scene ana the fact that
the DUuy cUui,. uCt ~ ..en:.ite,. ,,,Nt .$4 to
the report that it was au Elktoniap, who was
then absent from town, the clothing upon the
corpse in many particulars talying with that
worn 10y the person in question when last
seen here. Foul play was suspicionel and
not until the positive Identification Of the
remains on Monday morning 10y Mr.. Roberts
as those of his wife did the excitement here
abate. as to this time did the whereabouts of
the Elkton person. whom it was feared the
corpse might be, had not been learned.
REMAINS IDENTIFIED.
The remains had been taken in charge by
Undertaken Henry Vinsinger and were re-
moved to his establishment on Main street.
where an inquest was being conducted by
Coroner Dean. an Monday morning at eleven
O'Clock, when Mr.. Roberts. who had just
arrived here from Philadelphia, identified the
remains as those Of his wife Mary s. Roberts,
daughter of the late Scott Strickland. OF this
county.
She had been missing from home since
Friday afternoon, since which time he had
been endeavoring to learn her whereabouts,
and had on Sunday notified the Philadelphia
police of her absence On Monday morning
early while reading Philadelphia morning
paper, he read of the finding of body in
Elkton answering the description of his wife,
and fearing that it might be she, he hurried
to Elkton, only to have his worst fears realized.
Mr.. Roberts is most respectable and in
dustrious man, who was devoted to his wife
and his home, and his sad discovery here
that morning, affected him very much. He
present realized the severity of the blow
which he suffered. He stated to the officials
that he positively identified the remains as
those of his wife, not alone from her dress but
by marks upon the body and the absence Of
certain teeth.
ILL HEALTH MADE HER DEsPoNDENs.
He stated upon oath to the coroner, that he
lived with his wife, at 1927 Chapel street.
w.. a ....,.. . -, '... :, o.np4p..l. ~ Il.
mill there. His wife was subject to epileptic
attacks monthly and had become respondent.
sac also tired Of Mag II -.
it being her desire to return to this county,
where relatives lived. Their home, outside
OF this fancy of his wiie's and her i'll health,
was happy one, and his wife was given
every comior. he was able to provide. S,iil
she was desirous of coming to Cecil county,
and had expressed a wish to live In Perry
vile. He had made up his mind to crafty
this wish OF hers, as soon as he could secure
employment.
On the morning of the day she disappeared,
Friday, Mr.. Roberts and his daughter, aged
eighteen years, went to work together to
Callahan's mill, and did not return home
until after six o'clock that evening. Missing
his wife, they made inquiry for her and were
told by Il neighbor that she took the half past
four trolley car into Philadelphia. That was
the last seen of her by the family Before
going, however, she had written a message
upon the slate Of her eight-year- old son, say
ing that she could not be happy any more,
and also made the statement that there
were no outstanding bils-meaning that she
in the management Of the house had con-
tracted no bills. purse containing upwards
of forty dollars was also left by her.
AS she did not return that evening Mr..
Roberts had his daughter 60 to Wilmington,
where they had friends, and there she made
inquiry for her mother, from there writing to
her relatives in this county. Mr.. Roberts re-
turned to work Oh Friday and Saturday.
INQUEST HELD-vERDIcT OF SUICIDE.
A post mortem examination Of the remains
was made by Drs. John H. lamar. H. E.
Clemson and John W. Cooper. and the testi-