The San Francisco call., 1897-07-09

The woman whose hand wrote these
lines presented shocking sight yesterday y
when her dead body was found on the
floor of her home at 3160 Tive nty- fourth
street The body was on the floor near
the piano and surrounding it was a
CHASTITY array of bottles and jars of poison,
enough to have killed halt of the people
in the block.
The position of the body showed that
her death was painful IN the extreme, for
the head was bent forward It'll it almost
reached the feet. The room, which wa.
elegantly furnished, was almost un bear
able. for she had been dead since June
%. The shocking discovery was made by
Mr.. and Mrs. T. J. Dugan, who recently
moved into the house.
Thus ended lie that was full of 70.
nance, mystery and, some say, crime.
Tne woman, whose maiden name was
Edna Dean, first came into prominence
through her connection with Louis Cor
riveau, theI wealthy barber and owner OF
a bath establishment on Geary street,
near Grant avenue, who died about two
years ago. 1t seems that several years
ago the barber became infatuated with
the woman, who at that time kept lodg-
ing house OF no uncertain repute.
He sold out mis- establishment for q
goodly sum, and with The woman went
to live at $3.50 Twenty-fourth street, and
he at times spoke of her as his wife. At
any rate she passed as Mrs. Corriveau
from that time on, although no priest or
magistrate ever said the words that made
them husband and wife. She claimed to
have a marriage contract, but no one
ever saw ii.
Two years ago the barber became sick
and died, but before he passed away he
told his physician that he was possessed
of large amount of property, som thing
like $40 900, most Of which was in cash and
negotiable papers such as bonds. etc. In
his last moments Corr.veau intimated
that almost all of his wealth was in a box
in q closet in the bedroom, bus after his
death not a cent OF the SIC, 900 could be
found, although the entire house was
searched and diligent inquiry made at all
of the banks.
His relatives came out from Canada and
employed detectives to aid In the search,
but to no purpose. To this day where the
money went IS mystery.
A little later the woman who bore his
name began 10 exhibit evidence of wealth
that made people wonder. She fitted up
the house ii an elegant manner and
dressed better than she ever did before.
More than that she kept horse and
cart, with which she made stunning ap-
pearance in the park. All of the time
that she lived on Twenty-fourth street
she did not mingle with her neighb bors,
proba bly, because they did not court her
company, for all stunned the house of
mystery, as her residence was called.
For some time past her conduct has
bee n called t o the attention of the police,
and she was warned not to be so bold in
her conduct. The woman's house was a
rendezvous for a mum ber of strangers,
who went and came at all hours of The
day and night. The women who called
upon her were mostly of youthful appear-
rance, the majority being between l6 and
20 years of age. The men, on the con-
trary, were all aged, and more than that
they were weIl-dressed.
The cause OF the woman's suicide is. like
her life, mystery, but it is said she
failed to secure the affections OF a man to
whom she was greatly attached. Others
believe that unfortunate business ventures
was the cause. When The house was
searched only SIS was found. At one
time Mrs. CorrIveau, as she was called,
was beautiful woman, and at the time
of her death she still possessed a fair
share of good looks for one OF about 35