Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1898-02-16
SUICIDE OF AN ELOPER.
Mrs. Mckay, Who Left Her Home
in Wisconsin, Kills Herself
in New York.

New York, Feb. ia woman who
was known as Eta Nigro killed herself
with carbolic acid in her dingy room on
the top floor Of tenement at S96 Second
avenue.
From letters found in the dead wom-
ans possession it would appear that she
was a Mrs. Mckay of Washburn, Wis.
She had been living with an Italian la
borer named Michael Nigro since last
spring. According to the story told by
Nigro to Coroner yucca the woman and
her husband did not get on well to-
gether.
''She eloped with me in April last, and
we came on together to New York I
used to work on her farm, and she liked
me-" Nigro told the coroner.
The clipping pair were accompanied by
a 6-yearold boy, who went by the name
Of Charles Mckay. Nigro said that the
boy had been adopted by the woman
three 1r years ago and was not her son:
The following note, which was clutched
tightly in the suicides right hand and
placed over her heart, was found by Cor
oner yucca:
Gsosodby: Take Ia good care of my boy and
The Paddy referred to in the note
was the black and tan terrier.
When the coroner went to examine the
body he found Paddy curled up under
the bedclothes, keeping watch and ward
over its dead mistress. The moment the
showed its teeth and gave vent to a
vicious groWl which caused the intruder
to retreat.
Paddy then came out from under the
clothes and squatted down on the dead
woman's breast. 1t whined piteously and
kept licking her face and hands.
Come here, Paddy" said Nigro, who
was rocking himself to and fro in grief.
The voice of the Italian seemed to
make the dog angry, for it emitted q
series of yelps and grOwls and seemed
as though it was preparing to spring on
NigrG.
The policeman who was detailed to
watch the body also made an Intellectual
attempt to dislOdge Paddy. 1t was sew
eral hours before the dog could be taken
away.
A letter signed Ida Smith. Drummond,
Wis, and dated January 16, 1898, was
found among the effects of the suicide.
1t was in part as follows:
Ny Dear Friend Your letter was a source
of most pleasant surprise to me. Truly,
believe L never was quite so surprised as to
the wide world did you ever get there?
What came between you and Mr.. Mckay? I
always thought you were so happy together,
he seemed so devoted when l there.
When ! heard that you had left him I could
not believe it. Your secret is safe with me.
NO one but my mother knows that l have
heard from you. l would like to know what
caused it and made you so weary of life.
Oh, [ feel so sorry for you, my dear friend.
l remember you in my prayers. and I hope
you and your husband will yet be very hap
Ply. Have you Paddy and the little boy with
you? | heard Mr.. Mckay is going to the
hlondike, but do not know how true it is.
The writer also spoke of being post
mistress of the town.
Coroner yucca sent a telegram to
Washburn to try to locate the woman's
friends. NigrO said that Mr.. Mckay
was at one time sheriff of the county in
which the town is located.
A second letter signed by a Mrs Nc
Beath and dated Washburn was found
later among the effects. Mrs McBeath
in the letter said that she was sorry
to hear that the woman was destitute.
This letter was dated June 1897.
The body will be removed to the
morgue today unless the suicides friends
are heard from.
The boy, Charles Mckay, was placed
in the charge of the Gerry society.