The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-11-05
LOVE ENDS IN TRAGEDY
MISS EDITH HUFFMAN TO JOIN HER
sUITOR BEYOND THE GRAVE.
Harry Phillips Killed Himself on Her
Account Last Summer She
Takes CarbOIic Acid.

Edith Edna Huffman, the eighteen-year-
old daughter of Mr. and Mrs. d. c. Huff
man, of Sc Gale street (Brightwood). prob
ably ended her life by swallowing an ounce
of carbolic acid last evening. Dependency
over the death of her lover Harry Phillips,
of 2412 Lawrence street, was the cause of
her deed, it seems. Phillips killed himself
last spring because Miss Huffman refused
to marry him.
Miss Huffmans father is the chief engi-
neer at the Brightwood water works plant
He is on duty in the daytime, but yester-
day took an afternoon off to go down town
with his daughter. She had an abnormal
swelling on her left throat and jaw, caused
by some affection of the salivary glands
She had consulted DIR. J. H. Oliver about the
swelling, and he agreed to remove it by a
surgical operation Her father accompanied
her yesterday to Dr. divers office. The
physician, after an examination, decided
that she should wait another week. Then,
he said, he could work from inside the
mouth and leave no scar on the face.
Father and daughter returned home,
stopping long enough on the way to the
car for the girl to purchase some sheet
music. When the car reached the water
works. Mr.. Huffman left it, and his daugh-
ter went home. The house is only block
from the water works. About $50 O'Clock
the father went home and asked for his
daughter. Mrs. Huffman told him she had
gone to the postoffice. Mrs. Huffman went
up stairs and Mr.. Huffman went into the
back yard where he was engaged in MAX
ing barrel of sauer kraut. He had scarce
lxy onto int tha uh h.
ter came out through the back door and
asked for her mother. She seemed greatly
distressed, and Mr.. Huffman walked up to
her.
my daughter, what have you DONE" he
exclaimed. He detected the odor of carbolic
acid. 'You have taken something, haven't
your"
Mrs. Huffman came down stairs by the
time the father and daughter had reached
the middle room. Mrs. Huffman immediate
ly smelled the acid, and told her husband to
hasten for doctor. BY the time Drs. john
son and Witham arrived Miss Huffman was
unconscious. They found her lying on the
floor with her distracted mother loosening
her clothing and bravely trying to relieve
her child's sufferings.
At IL o'clock the girl was still uncon-
scious and DIR. Johnson said he did not see
how she could recover. "She took almost
the entire ounce of the acid" he said, land
this must almost inevitably produce death.
She may live for three or four days, but
1 hardly think she can survive the night.
Fortunately she diluted the acid, taking it
in a tumblerful of water This gave her
the full anaesthetic effect OF the drug, with
out so much of the caustic effect. Her
mouth and throat are not burned much and
If she should recover from the stupor all
will be well. But the acid acts like chloro-
form when taken as she took it, and l fear
she will never regain consciousness.
BROODED OVER HIS DEATH.
Miss Huffmans suicide probably was the
result of her brooding over the death of her
lover, Harry Phillips. They had been close
friends and lovers for some months, till one
day he learned that a man from Chicago
was paying attentions to her. This was
early in May He felt that he had better
settle the matter at once, so he asked heI
to marry him. She refused him. His
friends say he acted queerly thereafter He
was doing night work at the time, and on
the morning of May % he returned to his
home and shot himself. He rode home on
a bicycle, put it away, walked through the
kitchen where his mother was getting
breakfast and into his own room where he
fired a bullet into his body.
sciouS at times He told his mother that
he sought to kill himself on account of Miss
Huffman. AS soon as the girl learned of his
rash act she hurried to his bedside and sat
with him and nursed him day and night
until he died. She cried piteously when he
was conscious, and declared that she never
meant what she said when she refused to
marry him, and promised to marry him if
he would recover. After his death she be-
came morose, and members OF her house
hold expected she would attempt TO take
her life.
A YOUNGER BROTHERS ATTENTIONS
Recently, however, a younger brother OF
Harry Phillips has been paying consider
able attention to her. and it was hoped that
an attachment had been formed which
would heal the old wounds in the girls
heart But it seems that the intimacy with
his brother has intensified the agony occa-
stoned by the loss of her first lover.
Young Phillips went from his own home
to that of the Huffmans as soon as he
learned last night of the act of Miss Huff
man. He stood on the rear platform Of the
car with head bowed and hat pulled over
his face He usually had good deal to say
to the conductor, with whom he rode fire.
quently. Last night, however, he was sullen
and silent. The conductor SAID afterWard
that he would not be surprised to hear of
the younger Phillips killing himself II the
girl died.
HE seemed to be greatly attached to
her. he said II saw them together ire
quently. and they seemed happy enough to-
Miss Huffman is a buxom lass and a fine
looking young woman of strongly marked
features and clear complexion. She is
known to almost everybody living in Bright
wood, and the report that she MAD at
tempted suicide brought hundreds OF people
to the house.
ARA m