New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-01-18
A STRANGE CORRESPONDENT.
CAPTAIN COLLINS'S REMARKABLE COL
LECTION OF LETTERS
THEY ARE EVIDENTLY FROM A WOMAN WHO Is
CRAZY on THE SUBJECT OF SUICIDES BY
DROwNTNG-oNCE THE CAPTAIN HAD A
VISIT FROM THE CORRESPOND
ENT. BUT COULD NOT FIND
OUT WHO SHE WAS.

Oti WHO SHE WAS.
! Captain Collins Of the Park Police has in his
possession more than hundred letters from the
same writer, and all upon the same subject. He
has destroyed at least hundred letters OF the
same sort which had accumulated In long period.
! II was about three years ago. in early summer,
that the Captain received the first letter OF this
volumnous correspondence. 1t a well-written
epistle. withou, date signature The handwrt-
ing was that OF woman. 1t was addressed TO the
Captain or Sergeant of the Park Police" and ran
as follows:
| A lady Of mature age slight of build. and one
who is regarded as good blocking, who dresses well
one of the lakes OF Central Park. Her purpose is
formed, ana It. may be difficult to prevent her
But she must be prevented-her life must be
saved. You will please instruct your officers to be
especially vigilant. See that they patrol the lakes
with diligence. Guard all dangerous points, es-
pecally at the boathouse
Soon after the reception of this letter. the same
day, a postal-card received by the Captain, in
the handwriting. stating that "A letter had
been sent, and summarizing It's contents. Captain
Collins was somewhat puzzled. lie was at loss
| how to regard the singular communication IL
seemed be In good faith the face OF 1t. But
it anonymous letter, and he had the usual
distrust of such communications. Still when the
next patrol went out. he cautioned the officers In
a general way look out for woud-be suicides
| The next day the Captain received two letters In
the same handwriting and in the same strain.
| Thereafter for several months scarcely DAY
passed that more letters Of the same sort
did not come interspersed literally with postal
cards After the first halfdozen or so. nearly
every letter would start off with: zone hundred
dollars reward to any officer or other person who
will arrest or prevent from drowning in one Of
the lakes of Central Park" etc.
| In one Of these letters the injunction that
the captain should not only increase his force OF
patromen very largely. but he should impress
upon the Park Commissioners that they at once
securely fence in the Park lakes at such points as
were not under constant surveillance. Another
letter filed with exclamation points, directed the
Captain to order out force Of men Immediately
and drag the Park lakes
More than a year had elapsed since this strange
correspondence began when one day Captain COL
Inns received letter containing an address In
Sixth-avc and what pucported TO be the name OF
the persistent wouldbe suicide ,
The Captain sent officer TO the address gNsn'
and IL found to be ONellls drygoous stoi =, e,
No there knew any one or tne NAM sis W ,b ~,
the letter For some time after ms mos o. , ..e
o nF &e Tsu store ie.''' .
ca Her one dav A slght-builr well-dressed woman;
about thrty-five years old, closely velied "aheu
ueryously up the desk IN the Arsenal ponce $40
ton and inquired for Captain Collins. On ms ap,
pearance she requested few moments s prr" te
the inner office when after assuring herself that
no one but the Captain was within earsnot, En-
II IN
~ ne rnanv letters received by the Captain, and
that IT was her sister about whom she was 80
The poor GIRL" she said is terribly tempted
TO take her life by drowning In one OF the oeltaa
PARK lakes She Is quite rational upon every ONE,
point and do not wish 70 nave her coniiio,vn
to asylum But we srSauy b ,ear Il S able MO 70 WITH
stand so have taken the precautlon OF addressing
YOU upon tho subject ,o,,,o
The woman then made minute inquiry reiatise
n The depth OF water in the several lakes. lne
more tlanxerous points especially the place known
ne The Lock" showing much familiarity WIN t IN,
,onogranhy and physical features OF the Tath'
She then reiterated the Injunction co'"ie" III ''o
letters and went her way. ,,. ~
The CAPTAIN felt confident tina. MS visitor was
moi only the letter writer but the supJect ot ,ii
CORRESPONDENCE as well For almost a yea, a 49,
This visit no more letters were re ,elNeu anu -
-, folIins concluded that the unf )rtunatc woman
Mad finally overcome her suicidal mania inen
the CORRESPONDENCE broke out again WIN
companying postal-cards, were me record' ne
letters came both by special messenger anu Pos'i
Letters were found I'm the patrol boxes tuChe.
,,rt.r rho doors Of sub-statiOns ana tossed III az
omen windows. all or the same scHe'"i ''"'' ~
yarying little in phraseoloSy. -. .o,.a1 oct,la
D1zens scores of these mssNes were toSHvu u -
unonened and hundreds were DESTROYED. sun ~, M
poured in and are stlIl Goi snmswhat
.V-,,ch, Watchii" Is the reiterated lnJuhotlon
.cha ,,ill come some day Some time wnen leaS.
nravent for "A time bur. nevertheless she VII. roiie
+. ~ I've i'm the morning hour; it may be at noon
,i1 ' or Il NAV be when the shadows fan at even
hut she will come W1tch tor nei. VAL i,,,n,a,,
..r,a no idea who this woman - salu ,aP'al'l
81. i. w ,.ostarIav but | presume she Is some one
Go is of on the subject OF suicide py drownns'
10 we cannot arrest her; II Is no ieloiy ~ ,n,
us a. LIZA not comprehen ded in the Code
OF a. .,,ain has desk full of letters that he mas
saved.