The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-09-25

ne ciunEa ABOUT her neck and Kissed ner
Hips again N again. imploring her to
open her eyes and recognize him just
once before she died. but the eyes could
not see and the lips could not speak.
When she died the mar hung his head
and wept like a woman.
Among the epistles the girl indited
while the poison was taking effect on
her system were two addressed to The
world" She evidently had not said all
she wished in the first. and wrote an
other. They read:
ITO the World-The sands of my life
are very nearly run and II is my duty
as well as my wish to max known GER
tain events in my life which otherwise
might cause some persons considerable
trouble. In the first place, I am decid-
edly not married, N furthermore. /
am only IL years Of age. | came to this
city and found ! could not get work
unless / was married. so / took a name,
Mrs. knight. n gave them a story.
! never had a home. at least a pleasant
home. and | have tried before to end
my life. but without success. l sold a
very valuable ring for 81 and bought
% cents worth of laudanum, which /
took. 1t Is ever now beginning to work.
/ must write fast, because my muscles
are beginning to relax. / can hardly
hold my pencil. The only trouble I
have is in loving a man who does not
~ ~ AAs ~ 80 " = oAAAA
] ask the world to hep ner. ] also ask
forgiveness of all whom | have
wronged. My only wish is to die, and
/ am dying now. so with this ! will say
goodbye 10 a world Of sin, and / nm
glad. MARY DODGE"
The other letter reads: ITO the worli
Its none of the worlds business why
! die. Yet | leave this world so IL will
not think any worse of me than pos
sible. ! have just taken a poison with
suicidal intent, and before / die, l wish
To give an outline OF my life so that
no mistake will be made as to the mo-
tive for doing this. ] was born The 9Th
of MAY, 1881. and have a mother and
two brothers. but have never any
home to speak Of. ! have been raised,
! might say. in Montana, for i came to
this state from Illinois II years aGa.
I have lived I'm the Bitter Root valley
for seven years. A year ago this
month my mother and | went to Iowa
and other eastern states on a visit and
just returned last March. In April, the
18th Of this year. I went to Missoula to
work for a gentleman there by the
name of Mr.. r. Rutherford. | was
there from April until the 25th day OF
last June. when | found that | was in
love with Mr.. Rutherford, and know
ing IL would never do any good, / quit
and left the city for a time. Mr.. r.
never treated me in any other name
than that of "A true gentleman. He and
| were good friends and he helped me
in several ways ! do not know hat
he ever suspected the feeling ! enter
tanned for him was other .han that OF
a friend. A. j.. Gibson's family. the
place he boarded, were two of my best
friends. My life was miserable and l
knew Z was madness 60 think of Mr..
r.. in any other way han that of a
friend. hin went from bad to worse
and 1 Fnfpn IN Entfn found / nnIl1 /
not get work as a single woman. so |
gave the name of Mrs. knight. How
the reporters ever found out my true
name is something | cannot account
for, but I am not married and no one
Is to blame for my death except my
self. This place is hard to get along
i'm, especially with the whole world
against you. and | want to die. I have
only been In the world l. years and
II Is hard to give up life. yet what have
I to live for is more than | can tell.
] have some very true friends I'm Mis-
soula. whom | wish to thonk for the
assistance they nave given me In more
than one. | wish To he buried in
Victor or Missoula, but don't leave me
in Butte. Now | will close, God for
give me for what | a v done is my
%(SisnedD MARY DODGE.
This is To be printed I'm the stan
~ leave a letter for my mother. which
Is 20 be forwarded 10 her. My trunk Is at
I2 South wyoming street. I'm so sleepy.
Does that mean dcath?'
Coroner Tremblay was notified and took
charge Of the girls effects. Among the
other letters were two addressed to Ruth
cTford. which were read at the inquest
held during the day.
A paragraph Of one OF them read: For
give | have wrongod you, but, oh. for
give a sinner
A.-.N-r 49, 49,. -
In "A delicate condition and that Ruthcr-
ford was the cause. The other letter adj
dressed to Rutherford bids him a very
affectionate farewell and says;
you. and no other. are the father Of
unborn child so ! take my life to
us both"
Another letter was addressed to the
mother. II read:
NJ Darling Mother: VIII YOU forgive
for what | have done? I am so weak.
I love you and cannot bear to think that
shall never meet again. just To think
YOU have given your life for me and I
have seemed so ungrateful; but, mother.
! love you and I ask you TO forgive. Go
10 Robert. for l have wronFcd him, and
ask him To forgive me. Now. Ma, tell the
boys, Sebe and Brud. goodbye. and for
give me. Do not tell anything on r.: this
ask for my dying sake will enclose a
letter to r.. which you will give him. You
will find my trunk at sos South Wyoming
street. Bury r = picture next my heart.
Now. goodbye. May we meet above. Tell
grandma goodbye and have McAllister
preach my funeral sermon. Take me TO
for burial, and do not bury me
m white. Ma, I am dying. for"
Here the letter breaks OFF abruptly and
IN another sheet Of paper was the in
Notify Mrs. @. A. Dodge, Mis-
'oula. Mont. at once"
Coroner Tremblay held an inquest on
he hAHN ~ Eia. PM 49, se,AnrVal4,- ,,,,-
asst evening. The witnesses m
we're DR.. Cowperthwaite. Mrs. Ellis and
;. Billings. who related the Circum-
stances OF the suicide and those leading
III to il as given. The letters were all read
o the jury and the following verdict was
'endered: