The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1897-09-11
WIFE'S SUICIDE.
Mrs. Hopkins Preferred
Death to Divorce.
Her Slavery to Opium Drove
Husband From Home.
The Same Bullet Frees Him and
Ends Her Earthly Troubles.

Mrs. Anna Theresa Hopkins committed
suicide by shooting last night. at her
home, 9S Arnold street.
1t was a case of deliberate and probably
long -premeditate self destruction and the
victim was driven to the deed by brooding
over her own misfortune as an opium
victim.
Morphine was the primary cause, and
to this was added tho dread of divorce
which hor husband. Can't Adelbert
Hopkins, of Hook and Ladder Company 4,
proposed TO secure.
lhe Hopkinses moved into the upstairs
tenement at ~ Arnold street two months
ago Capt. Hopkins is "A man of sterling
qualities and one OF the best ilremon In
the department. Mrs. Hopkins was a
handsome, intelligent woman, with but
one fault, but that was so grleviouS tnat
it had made tho home lie unbearable.
The drug was the family skeleton but
not in the closet, for the neighbors soon
Iearned what the trouble was and Mr.. and
Mrs Jessop who lived downstairs, were
well aware why the fireman remained
away from his home. The wife was
frequently under the influence of the drug
and the habit was becoming worse.
Mrs. .Iossop asked how she had ever
formed the habit and Mrs. Hopkins only
covered nor face with her hands and said /:
"Don't ask me, don't ask me. F" Yet Capt.
Hopkins was always good TO his unfor-
tunate wife. and IT, Is said she loved him
deeply. II know it's all my fault, " Mrs.
Hopkins used to say, land he is SO kind,
so kind.
Two weeks ago she,...took such dose
that she was stupe1ed for hours and that
was the last straw. Capt HOL kiDs left
the house, which he had furnished HIM
self when mis- wife was on vacation
down in Maine
lie took the preliminary steps to secure
n legal separation and three days ago a
deputy sheriff came To the house anu
served Mrs. Hopkins with papers, sum-
moning her to appear at the coming pro-
ceedings for divorce instituted by her
husband She broke down under the
sti ain and cried bitterly. saying that
never would she live to see the day she
was Capt. Adelbert A. Hopkins divorced
wife.
In the meantime. Capt. Hopkins had
secured leave of absence from the board OF
fire commissioners, and has been gone
away ever since on "a fishing trip.
Early last evening Mrs. .iessop went
upstairs and found Mrs. Hopkins in the
kitchen preparing for bath. She re-
maiued with her until the toilet was
a fresh night dress from a basket of cleo n
clothes, and stated that IL was hor last
night on earti because she would not live
to be the divorced wife Of Adelbert Hop
kins.
10 emphasize her threat OF elf-destruc-
tion Mrs. Hopkins took from the table
drawer 52-calibre revolver and box of
cartridges.
Mrs. Jessop screamed and rushed down.
stairs wneIe she told her husband that the
woman upstairs was going To Kill horsolt.
mot in this house." Mr.. .Iessop de-
clared, and ha rushed for the stairs to
prevent the fatality. But he was too late
As he started to ascend the report was
heard aud in another instant he found the
body of the dying woman across the
threshold between tho kicthen and din
ing room with the bullet wound in her left
tlmple.
Mrs Hopkins lived anout 20 minutes
and did not recover consciousness.
Medical Examiner Palmer was notified
and tho necessary legal formalities were
attended &c.