The San Francisco call., 1897-09-07
Desperate Efforts Of Mrs.
Nellie Clark to
Die.
Three Times She Sought a
Grave in the
Bay.
Now She Is Lodged in a Cell
in the Oakland
Jail.
OAKLAND OFFICE SAN FRANCISCO CALL,

OAKLAND OFFICE SAN FRANCIsCo CALL,
908 Broadway, Sept +.
Three most determine attem pts 10 COM
nit suicide were made this evening by
Mrs. Nellie Clark of this CITY while cross
| ing the bay on the o'clock creek route
ferry boat from San Francisco. There
were a great number of passengers, as al
that hour the travel is heavier than at any
time during the day.
Soon after leaving San Francisco an
aged woman dressed in black was sitting
on the upper deck apparently in great
grief. The attention of several passengers
| were directed toward her, and her actions
clearly showed that she was enduring tor
ment of mind.
A gentleman moved toward her and
| heard her exclaim: "Oh, my God. there is
plenty of water in the bay, and l may as
| well-yes-it will be best"
The passenger moved closer to her and
on perceiving him the old lady burst into
tears and told him he need not fear. He
kept his eyes on her and she turned her
back toward him. She sat quiet for a few
minutes and when her guardian thought
she had probably changed her mind she
suddenly sprang upon the rail and was
nearly over before several who ran to her
caught her dress and pulled her aboard.
The crowd that gathered around then
witnessed a remarkable scene. The old
lady's griet suddenly turned 10 rage. She
turned on her saviors, protested with
them and cursed them with a fearful ex-
hibltion of hatred. Cadet Hatch, an
officer of the Salvation Army, was one OF
those who rescued her and he seemed to
be the especial object of her venom, be-
cause he had been the first to catch hold
! of her dress and save her from going over
board.
| After few minutes the woman settled
down, but her apparent calm was but a
| cunning device to assist in furthering her
desire TO end her life. When passing Goat
| Island the chief officer of the ferry boat
went to the woman and she conversed
very nationally with him for few min
utes. She told him she was Mrs. Nellie
| Clark of Oakland and that she had been
her life. He reasoned with her and she
expressed a desire TO follow his advice, to
| change her mind and go to her home.
! No sooner had the chief officer left her
| thar she made another spring, shrieked
! like a tiger, and but for the fact that Cadet
Hatch had never let go his hold of her
/ dress she would have gained her purpose.
|
vented her feelings in a paroxysm OF rage
ana cursed roundly. 1t only lasted few
minutes and she became calm. AS the
boat passed the lighthouse at the end OF
| the restraining wall the woman saw that
her chance for committing suicide was
small as her journey was about over.
! Sne struggled frantically to free herself,
and three strong men were required to
! hold her. So violent was she that it was
necessary for one man TO place his knee
on her chest to prevent her from rising
while others held her hands and feet.
When the boat arrived at the foot OF
| Broadway the Salvation Army officer
offered to take care OF her and see that she
was placed temporarily where she would
! be attended to, but the mate said that he
was required TO turn all such cases over to
the ponce. The patrol wagon was sum-
moned and Officer Mackey accompanied
| the woman to the City Prison. AS it was
evident that the old lady was crazy, and
as there was a suspicion that she was on
the verge of delirium tremens, she was
booked on a simple charge to await de-
velopments. Her residence in this city i.
at The Kelsey, a large boarding house or
Telegraph avenue. As soon as she wa:
out OF sight of the water she Gained down
considerably.