The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1897-01-13
SAD DEATH OF
4 YOUNG GIRL.
Sadie Beal Dies in an Allegheny Hospital
Under Distressing Circumstances.
HER PARENTS OVERCOME WITH
GRIEF.
Kept Her Secret Almost to the
End.
NAME OF THE PHYSICIAN NOT KNOWN.

End.
NAME OF THE PHYSICIAN NOT KNOWN.
Thursday morning a dispatch was re-
ceived here from Pitsburg saying that
an unknown young woman had died
from the effects of "A criminal operation
in the Allegheny General Hospital and
that she was believed to be q resident Of
Somerset.
A second dispatch said that the young
woman's name was Beal and that she had
left letter giving the name of her lover.
Word came from Meyersdale that Miss
Sadie Beal, daughter of A. o. Beal, OF
Sand Patch, had died at the Allegheny
General Hospital that morning from the
effects OF surgical operation for the re-
moval of chronic disorder, and that the
story telegraphed here was discredited
by all who knew the girl. A. o. Beal
went TO Pittsbu.g on the morning train
for the purpose of bringing the body of
his dead child home. A subsequent dis
patch confirmed the first reports and sta
ted that warrants had been issued for the
arrest of two alleged Somerset county
physicians and the young man who is al
legged to have been the cause of the girls
death.
County Detective Robinson, of Alle-
gheny county, visited Meyersdale the
same day aud arrested James Shannon,
aged 20, b. & o. fireman, and took him
20 Pittsburg TO await the verdict of the
Coronor's jury. An inquest was held on
Friday afternoon when Shannon was re-
leased. there being no evidence on which
10 hold him.
The following story of the tragedy is
culled from the columns of Pittsburg
daily papers.
1.-The dead body of Sadie Beal, beau
tiful country girl, was taken 10y her sor-
rowing father 10 her once happy home
among the mountains of Somerset coun-
ty last evening. Her young life, imbit-
tered and ruined, went out a little after
. midnight in the Allegheny General Hos
pitai. She had been in the hospital about
week, seemingly recovering physically,
/ but in mental agony and sorrow. Size
died keeping secret the name of the oae
she had unwisely loved.
Whats the use:" she said VIII n
pleaded with 10 tell the sad story. 1T
would do no good. The harm is done. 1
will suffer alone. There would be 10
good in running another's life by telling
my story" And 50 she died. She gave
every evidence Of a broken heart.
The girl did not reveal the name of The
physician " no had committed the mall
practice until a few hours before her
death. Then she told one OF the hospital
surgeons the name of Somerset county
She paid this man, she said, $50. and that
. his name was Merriman or Merriinac.
The Hospital physicians are notesure
about the name.
Sadie Beal went to the Allegheny Gem
eral Hospital December 20. She alighted
from closed carriage and asked to have
an interview with the head nurse. The
physicians say she appeared to be in an
excited frame of mind. She confided 10
the head nurse her condition and depos-
tied money for special treatment The
girls condition was not considered seri-
Gus at first, but in the course of a few
days il became apparent that she needed
extra attention
When she became aware that death was
approaching she asked for pen and ink
and wrote two letters. In these epistles
is explained all the story.
The hospital authorities sent message
To her father, A. o. Beal, at Sand Patch,
shortly after the death of the daughter.
The father arrived At the hospital about
O'Clock, and it was then that he received
the first iutimation of the real cause of
his daughters death. DR.. Brown. who
broke the sad news 10 him, said that Mr..
Beal nearly tainted when he learned the
mysterious circumstances connected with
the death. His grief was so affecting that
no effort was made to question him con-
cerning the sad affair. He volunteered
the information, however, that she came
to the hospital with the consent of the
family, they believing that she was i'll
from some chronic complaint that requir-
ed an operation. They received letters
liUIt ittt W taitNA tAiaA 01t NtAo
proving, and her case was never regard
ed as serious. For this reason none of
the family visited the hospital to see her.
The girl wrote two letters before her
death, intending 10 mail them. One WAS
10 her mother. the other to her alleged
betrayer at Meyersdale. These letters
were found in her trunk and were ex-
oeedingly pathetic epissles. They were
written in scholarly style, with only
one word misspelled and the grammar
and punetuation correct.
BROKEN PROMISES.
The substance of the letter addressed to
Neyersdale was as follows:
- In spite of all my coaxing, pleading
and prayers you have accomplished Iny
ruin. My death will follow and II will be