The herald., 1898-11-09
A SUSPECTED SUICIDE
MRS. A. ]. PAGE OF PASADENA
DROWNED AT SANTA MONICA
WAS TEMPORARILY INSANE
7, eff Her Husband to Go to Her House
but Instead Sought Death in
the Ocean

An old soldier, wandering upon the pleas
IRE wharf at Santa Monica at 7:45 O'Clock
Yesterday morning, found a bundle OF wo-
mans clothing on the south side OF the pier
at noint about hundred feet from the
land. He did not examine the bundle, be-
Eeving that some woman had probably
changed her clothes for more appropriate
costume to go fishing. No one came to claim
the clothes, however, and he brought the
articles to the attention of Mr.. Luce, who
keens a stand for the sale of fishing tackle
on the wharf.
On examination it was found that the
bundle contained a gray cloth skirt and Elton
Jacket to match; low-crowned straw hat,
trimmed with artificial flowers and black os-
trich tip; small silk sunshade, pair of
black kid gloves, a lady's reticule and a
pocket-book and three handkerchiefs, in one
of which was knotted S5 cents in change
and in another two return electric railroad
tickets from Santa Monica to Los Angeles
and a ticket from Los Angeles to Pasadena.
These were on top of the clothing
The reticule contained bottle labeled
"Strychnine crys., VS. o., Rosegarten &
Sons, Philadelphia" This bottle had not
been opened, the seal over the cork being
intact The handbag also contained the
business card of \. J. Page, wall paper,
Pasadena. which had on the reverse side
the written name Mrs. A. j. Page"
With these articles were also found two
pairs of gold bowed spectacles, adapted to an
elderly person, which, with the ether arti-
cles, led to the conclusion that the owner
was a well-to-do middle-aged woman.
The articles were taken to the town
marshal's office and an investigation was
begun. 1t was found that woman dressed
in similar clothes to those found had been
at the local postotfice late the afternoon be-
fore and had attracted attention by her &C.
centric behavior. She had purchased scme
postal cards, written on one and mailed it
with Pasadena address. While engaged in
writing she muttered continually to herself.
From the description given by the clerk in
the postoffice she was of middle age, tall
and slender.
Marshal Barretto, following the clue given
by the address on the business card. tele-
phoned to A. j. Page of Pasadena, but found
that Mr.. Page had left Pasadena for Los
Angeles early in the morning. The message
followed him, however, and at o'clock he
arrived in Santa Monica. accompanied by his
daughter, Mrs. A. M. Wilcox. and examined
the clothing etc, found, which he identified,
as did Mrs. Wilcox, as belonging to his wife.
who had left Pasadena the afternoon be-
fore.
According to the story of Mr.. Page. his
wife had been in a weak condition mentally
for some time past. On Monday afternoon
at 2 p. m. she left him at his place of busi-
ness in Pasadena with the avowed intention
of going home to superintend the prepara-
ton of dinner. When he reached home in
the evening he found that Mrs Page had not
been there and could find no clue to her
whereabouts.
The next morning he went to Los Angeles.
thinking that his wife had gone to the home
of daughter in this city, but failed to find
trace of her there.
The telephone message from Marshal Bar
retto was received a little after noon. and
the husband and daughter went immediately
to Santa Monica, where the evidence left no
doubt in their minds that Mrs Page had, in
a fit of melancholia, drowned herself.
1t seems that three weeks ago Mrs. Page
had wandered away and been found in Santa
Monica, but since that time her condition
improved, with hopes of complete recovery.
From later evidence it is concluded that
the suicide took place Monday evening, as
late strollers on the wharf noticed the cloth
ing at that time, but had not deemed it of
Importance to call the attention
of the police to it.
Mr.. Page will remain at Santa Monica to
search for the body of his wife, which will
probably come ashore near Rallona, as tie
current runs south along Santa Monica bay.