The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1899-06-14
Deliberate Suicide.

mitted suicide Friday afternoon She shut
herself In the watercoset of the Laird resi-.
dence at No 30 Bailey avenue and turned
on the gas. The only motive known for
this rash act appears in the opening clause
OF a letter which she left for Mrs. Laird in
which she says, MRS. Laird, please for
give me for ending my life in your house
but have never wanted to live since
child" This and the fact that she has
nurtured the idea from childhood that she
was unwelcome to her parents, both OF
whom are now dead, combined with her
melancholy and retiring nature gives the
impression that she was not insane but felt
life was to her not worth the living.
Miss House, who was thrty-eight years |
old, has been employed in the Laird house
hold on two occasions. The last tenure OF |
service began year ago last February. |
Mr.. and Mrs. Laird informed JOURNAL re- |
porter that the woman was very odd in her
manner, shrinking from social intercourse
and never making conhdant OF any one.
Friday Iafternoon, Miss House was left in
the house alone for the first time in several
weeks. The last time she WAS seen alive
was about three o'clock in the afternoon
when she went to the home Of Thomas Gis-
borne,. just across the street, and returned
three eggs she had occasion to borrow re-
Gently and of which Mrs. Laird knew moth
ing.
Mrs. Laird, in mentioning the incident,
stated that it was characteristic OF the wo-
mans scrupulous honesty even in minute
fairs. She further stated that Miss House
was most capable woman, of more than
ordinary Intelligence, and was great read
or. Although keeping her life apart from
others, she always manifested most kind
ly disposition toward those with whom she
came in contact. Her weakness, II she pos
sessed one, was tor the theatre, and during
| the present week she had attended the play
at the opera house at least three evenings.
| Mrs. Laird returned to her home at 5;4O
In the afternoon and upon entering the
| house detected a strong odor OF gas. She
could not find Miss House on the first floor
and so examined the gas jets herself but
found them in order. She then assembled
the second floor and the first room she en-
tered was the bath room The room was
without window and the door was closed
but not locked. Upon opening 1t, Mrs.
Laird found that Miss House mad taken
every precauton that no air should be adj
mitted for she sat upon the closet seat
dressed in the loose dress which she usual
ly wore afternoons. The gas was escaping
from an open jet aud the women reclined
against the wall as though asleep. Mrs.
Laird at once shut off the gas and called
for help. The woman was conveyed to an
adjoining room where fresh air was admit.
ted While willing hands worked with a
vigor to restore the unfortunate to life, a
young son Of Thomas Osborne went on his
wheel to summon DR.. @. K. Chandler, who
arrived at the house little before six
o'clock.
One of those, who had been engaged In
the attempt at resuscitaton, had thought
she detected the faint beating of the
woman's heart and as the body was still
warm it was at first thought that life could
be restored. But DR.. Chandler upon ex-
smining the woman, expressed the opinion
that she had been dead for some time. The
only evidence OF the suffocating death strug
gle was the dark purple discoloration OF
the upper portion OF the face.
I-Es a
tanned instructions as to how she desired
to have her affairs closed up, and direc
tions as to where certain articles could be
found. Among others, were her buria
clothes, which she had purchased six weeks
ago from Jordan, Marsh & Co., Boston, and
which included light blue organdie dress
These she had never worn but had packed
them away in a box. This was not the
only circumstance which showed she h d
planned TO do the deed. Some weeks ago
, she purchased lot in Green Mount GENE
terry. This she had graded and arranged as
she desired it but not even marker did she
have placed upon 1t which leads to the i'm
preston that she desired to pass from the
memory of the living. The work on the LOT
was completed last week and she deposited
500 with the cemetery commissioners t
provide for its care in the future. Aftel
this matter had been closed she remarked
. to Mrs. Laird with unusual levity, Now
, have got through running after the men. ;
E This remark was noteworthy from the fact
that she so far as known, never has mad {
love affair. Her letter, the larger portion
of which is Suppressed, was written som,
time ago in ink but there was a later post
script in pencil. In this letter she inform
ed Mrs. Laird that she had money enough
in the savings bank to bury her. She die
not wish TO have any funeral service
no prayers offered, nor any music. SO IA
as Mr.. Laird's family are concerned they
desire that her wishes should be carried
out in every respect.
I Miss House has always been simple il
her dress and also very thrifty and careful
in the expenditure OF her money. A few
years ago she left the employ OF Mrs. LairC
to go to Seattle, Wash. where she invested
a few hundred dollars which she had saved
The money was ultimately lost but sh,
never appeared to mourn over it.
OF late she has changed in the matter o
saving her money. She has INDUCED il
many luxuries unusual for her. She pur
chased a beautiful opal ring for hersel
which was all the iewelry she had in TIT
: world. She also purchased a similar RIM
which she presented to Miss Helen Dono
Laird home. She has also for the pas
week appeared unusually happy, gonl
about the house singing the popular airs o.
| the day.
She is survived by three sisters, Mrs.
Henry Nye of East Barre and Mrs. Milton
Bailey and Mrs. Chauncey Poor of Berlin
The two latter with their husbands arrived
at the house early in the evening after the
tragedy and assisted in the final arrange
ments. The remains were conveyed to
Johonnotts & Halls morgue late in the
evening. The burial will take place Sun
day afternoon.
F. e. Langley, editor of the Barre Daily
, Times, received ON Saturday twelve page
letter from the dead girl, which was POST.
marked at Montpelier at nine o'clock Fri
day evening. In this letter she says people
who hated each other as did her father anG
mother, never ought to have brought hel
into the world. She also accuses her father
OF grave crimes, after the death of heI
mother, while she lived alone with him
1t is q rambling, morbid letter, over which
should be thrown the mantle Of charity.