The times., 1898-08-17
LIES GLAMOUR GONE.
Two Young Girls, Wearied of Ex
istenee, Leap From n Ferrybont.


PHILADELPHIA Aug. l6-I.ife looked so
black and hopeless to two young girls
that they ended ii this morning by jump
ing into the Delaware River hand-in-hand
from the rear of ferry boat opposite
Chestnut Street wharf Neither sank at
once. but fioated up the river almost to
Market Street, where they went down
and as yet their bodies have not been
| recovered
Before taking the leap into the river the
youthful suicides wrote letter of fare
well. which was found on the rail of
the ferryboat The note was written
on the boat
Upon the rail of the ferryboat Were
found two pocketbooks. and in them was
the note the girls wrote and some small
change.
Detective Woodrow went out on the
police tug StockIey TO witness the Crap
pling in midstream for the bodies. After
spending nearly two hours on the river
in frui-iess endeavor 10 recover tha
bodies the tug returned TO the Chestnut
Street pier.
The detective has in his possession two
pocketbooks left by the girls. In one
OF these Was Ecutib a lOtc winch " a.
poetical, after fashion. and read as fol-
lows:
I'VE can but own that life is vain.
a desert void Of peace;
We missed the goal we sought to gain:
We missed the measure of ne strain
That lulls the fever of the brain
And bids earths tumui, cease.
Ourselves, alas! the theme is poor,
A theme but rich in far;
We stand erect upon life's shore,
A specter not within the door,
A house,ess shadow evermore,
An exile lingering here
MAUD AND BESSIE.
I'VE find we are utterly unfit for this
world and Will try another"
There were numerous clippings from
various papers found in beth pocket
books In one of them, wrapped around
25-cent Canadian piece, was clipping
from d newspaper signed MSS Bessie.
No 42l Federal Street, Camden. N j.
Upon this. Detective Woodrow. of the
eoroner's Office. bases considerable hopes
Of final identification when the bodies are
found
This signed clipping states that the
writer was born in the country and was
an innocent country girl che year ago,
/ Since then she had lived in the city and
! had outgrown her country ways and
! ideas. The clipping stated that she was
! connected with a stringed orchestra OF
4 twelve pieces and that at home there was
4 a small orchestra of four pieces. Music
! appealed more strongly TO her than did
! household drudgery.
In addition to the clippings, the pock-
] etbook contained the measurements O
| the girls. a cigarette each. and a key. II
! Miss Bessie'S book there was one cen
| and in the other a faded carnation anC
! twenty-eight cents
No s2l Federal Street, Camden, is oc
cupied by Charles Ferrat, as a candy
store, and no person answering the de
scription of either of she girls is known
there.
Late tonight G. Faust, of 721 Fedora
/ Street, Camden y. J.. recognized the
trinkets left on the ferryboat by one Of
1he girls as the property of his sister
| Bessie, nineteen years old.
He said Bessie left home last Sunday
to pay a visit to Maud Haffingul, an init
mate friend. at 423 Reed Street, Philadel,
phia, and failed 10 return home.
Faust could give no explanation for
1 his sisters sad act, and said she was
! in a cheerful mood when leaving home
| To the best of his knowledge, she was
not mixed up in any love affair what
ever.