The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-09-26
NOT IN HER RIGHT MIND
Mary Dodge Certainly Insane
When She Wrote the Letters.
AN AUTOPSY PERFORMED
The Mother OF b Unfortunate Girl
Doesn't Believe Rutherford's Name
Should Have Been Connect
ed with the Case.

was
suicide of pretty Mary Dodge of Missoula,
who died Saturday morning amongst
strangers from the effects OF a dose OF
poison. The suicide is turning out the
most sensational case of self-destruction
that has occurred in Butte for a very
long time. From yesterdays develop
ments il would appear that X. Ruther-
ford. the Missoula business man charged
with running Miss Dodge, was done a
prievous wrong. In the letters the girl LETT
she confessed to being in a delicate con-
djtion and placed the responsibility for
her unhappy lot upon Mr.. Rutherford. An
autopsy was held yesterday and 1t was
found that her confession was not only
untrue. but there were no indications
that she had been enceinte and had been
relieved. The mystery is why did she
make the charge against Rutherford. Inc
coroner's jury which sat at the inquest
saturday evening appears TO have fouha
the best explanation. The jury said;
I'VE find from the testimony tnat ths
deceased was not in her right nina, anu
this seems TO be the only explanauoh
which properly fits the case. The phys.
clan who performed the autopsy iouhu
that while there were no signs OF preg-
nancy. the girl was not a virgin, anu
some who are interested in the case thihk
she may have been in a delicate state
and been relieved, or hat she may nave
believed she was in such a condition ana
committed suicide to hide her name. Inc
latter may have been the case, put the
former could hardly have been, judging
from known facts. The physician who per-
formed the autopsy found that If a state
~ pregnancy ever existed an operation
was performed at a very early stage 50
early that no trace was left. rms Delns
the case from what Is known OF the slrls
movements such an operation could hatu-
IN have taken place. The mother Is very
positive no such thing happened IN MIS-
soula and the girls movements have beeh
SO closely traced that II could 5ot nave
been done here.
THE mother states that her daughter LETT
NissouIa on the 14th. instead of a week
400 last Sunday. as had been previously
supposed. II was learned yesterday that
she arrived here the same day ana Sc
cured from an employment of1ce a posi-
lion as domestic at Colonel lloyds mix
ranch. The girl was sent by the employ
uept agent to the Morier lodging mouse
i'm Academy street. kept by Mrs. A. v
Rowen. TO stay till she should so 10 the
ranch. She staid there Wednesday htGit
and left for her employment ThurSuay' u
is learned that she worked at the faISu
FRIDAY and returned to the city SATURDAY.
on the following Monday she was iouhI
at another employment office seeNlh4
work. She could not have had time l"i
such an operation from SATURDAY UNI
Monday. on Monday she went to the BIZ
Iinrs home in perfect health ana remain
ed there till Wednesday evening, When
she first attempted suicide. FROM INA
time she remained with Mrs. Ellis at 5h
South Wyoming street.
II will be seen that if the operation was
not performed before the girl came t'
Butte IT never was. and from all the CIR.
cumstances the insanity theory IS the on'
generally accepted at this time rs tn'
correct one. The mother adaeres 10 !
ard Is firmly convinced that her uaughtel
was not i'm her right mind but The ta'h
\ or. who put in an appearance yesterday
n takes a different view. He stated las
4 evening he was convinced Rutherford Zee
4 the girl astray under promise OF marrlag'
and that she killed herself when sh'
learned that he was to marry anothe
u,oman From what can be learned, how
\ ever. there appears no ground for such
charge.
4 The girl in her letters confessed tina
she knew her love was hopeless ana iron
the best information at hand II Woul
q appear that Rutherford was greatly ma
ligned and that the coroners jury cam
as near the truth as will ever be know
in attributing insanity as the cause OF IN
suicide.
III / DeIOfe ldSl anu vas =
tents of her daughters letters she de
clared she knew no such condition ex
listed as the girl confessed 70. she wa
so firmly convinced that she requisite
Coroner Tremhlay to order an autopsy
DIR. Molleur was appointed and the ope
ration was performed Yesterday after
noon. DR.. Molleur declined to give out nj
findings until he reports TO the corohe
this morning, but the result OF the al
topsy was obtainable from other source
Mrs. Dodge, the girls mother, was see
II Yesterday at the home OF Mrs. Ellls' ]
South wyoming street, where she Is stay
& ing She is a very refined appearing We
man, in middle life, and takes the sa
ending of her child's life deeply TO hear
She stated that her daughter was en-
Moved by Rutherford at Missoula to tar
care of his child. he being a widowe
They lived with the family of A. j. Gil
son. one Of the most highly respecte
families in that city. and she felt SUI
that there could never have been an,
thong wrong between Rutherford and Il
girl.
The father of the dead girl was four
yesterday. His name Is H. c. Dodge, ar
he is in the employ of the Montana uhlo
railroad. Husband and wife have Dee
separated for two years and he oid NJ
know of his daughters tragic death IN
he read Of II in the morning newspaper
He visited his wife during the day az
n is possible their common bereaveme'
NAV lead 10 a reconciliation
The mystery of the girls movements
Friday last when she left the home
Mrs. Ellis and was gone all day. retur
ing in the evening after she had tax
the poison. was cleared up yesterda
Mrs. Bowen. proprietress OF the iodgI
house where the girl stayed when. $
FIRST came to the city. accounted for h
movements on tina day. When seen ye
terdav Mrs. Bowen said the girl came
her house Friday shortly before lun
time and said she had just come in tro
Colonel Lloyd's ranch. ASKED why ;
Iaft she said she was going back hon
she asked for a room until train tin
After staying some time she went out a
returned with a pad of paper and pen'
She wrote a long time and hnally CO..
-1.l.-A Il f.alinn EallN After a time S