The evening times., 1899-11-11
9HE SUICIDE OF 1 WOMAN
While Despondent Mrs. Annie Pat
tersOn Shoots Herself.
Her Health Impaired by the Care of
. Paralysed Husband-she Sends
House and Then Commits the, Deed.
Found Dead ON the Parlor Floor.

| Dependency, induced apparently b,
| hypochondria, caused Mrs. Annie Patter-
son. ffty-one years Of age, to end her life
with a bullet from a revolver at her home
623 Street northeast, about 7:45 O'Clock
this morning. The deed was committed in
| parior. There were no witnesses and
though John Patterson, the aged husband
of the woman was in rear room and heard
the shot. he was unable to understand its
meaning. He Is paralytic and 1t is said
is mentally weak.
The suicide was discovered about $3.50
O'Clock by Gertrude Taite, fourteen-year-
old colored girl. employed in the house. She
summoned neighbors and DR.. N. P. Barnes.
OF 13S C Street northeast. Upon his arrival
the doctor pronouneed life extinct, and then
notified Lieutenant Daley and Policeman
Williams. Of the Ninth precinct. Lieuten-
ant Daley took charge of the effects OF the
woman and notified Coroner Carr. who after
viewing the remains issued q certificate Of
death by suicide.
short note penned by the woman was
found on the mantel in the parlor. 1t in
dicated that the suicide was deliberate.
Walter Patterson. a son Of the dead wo-
man, who is employed in the furnishing
store of Pennsylvania Avenue merchant,
was summoned by friend. He said the fu-
neral arrangements would probably be
completed tonight.
Mrs. Patterson is said to have been
greatly worried over her husbands condi-
tion for some time. and. 1t is further said.
imagined she was on the verge OF great
calamity. Recently her state OF mental
worry had increased, and this morning 1t
showed no Improvement. After her son
left home for work Mrs. Patterson sum-
moned the colored girl and, despatching
her to a nearby grocery for loaf of bread.
bade her hurry. stating that she wanted to
go down town. When the girl returned
she went about her housework and COM
pleting that went in search Of Mrs. Patter-
son to enquire as to further labors.
Gertrude Taite, when repeated calls
failed to elicit response, mounted short
fight OF stairs from the dining room and
came into full view of the parlor. There
she saw the body OF Mrs. Patterson
stretched full length and face downward
in the centre of the mating covered floor.
There was an ugly hole in the right tom
pie at the edge of the hair, and the head
was resting in a pool of blood. The body
had fallen with the right arm under it.
Her chest rested on the right hand, which
still held the revolver. The muzzle OF the
weapon protruded about an inch from TN
der the body. Gertrude lost no time in
communicating the intelligence to neigh
bors
When DR.. Barnes and Lieutenant Daley
arrived, the body was cold. DR.. Barnes
said that death had evidently been instan-
taneous.
A search of the room was then made for
anything that might throw light on the
affair with the result that the note was
found as described. The note which had
been hastily penciled on a piece Of ruled
paper was addressed to Walter Patterson,
the son. II read:
'.Wallie. cannot live, knowing am in
sane and may he put in an asylum. / hope
that God will guide my hand Alright and
take me home TO rest"
The note was signed Mamma" The
tenor of the note at first indicated that
some one had contemplated inGarcerating
the unfortunate woman in an asylum but
that was quickly ;dispelled by neighbors
who claimed that they knew nothing Of
such an intention. They said that though
Mrs. Patterson had been worried over her
husband. she had been devoted to him, and
had won admiration because of her un-
firing and unceasing care of him.
One neighbor stated that the family had
occupied the Street house for trifie over
FIVE months, and that during that time Mrs.
Patterson scarcely ever left her home for
even a short time The family formerly
lived in Indiana Avenue near Third Street.
Mrs. Patterson has been regarded as per-
fectly rational. though il is said she ap-
peared at times to be a hypochondriac.
After Lieutenant Daley had notified the
Coroner Of the suicide. he detailed Ser
geant Wright and Policeman Wilson to re-
main at the house and exclude all in
Quisitive visitors. An effort was then made
to acquaint Mr.. Patterson with the facts
surrounding the death Of his wife. but he
failed to understand what was said. He
was then left alone, as it was deemed bet
ter not to try and make him comprehend
that which it was thought would result in
further impairing his disordered mind. Mr..
Patterson's age is given as sixtyseven
years. 1t is said that he has suffered from
a mental disorder for several years, but
that his condition was never violent. Ger
trude Taite stated that he sometimes had
rational moments. but generally was una
BILE to understand what was being said to
him CT what was going on about him. The
girl further stated that frequently Mr.. Pat
terson did not recognize persons, not ex-
cepting his wife.
Mrs. Miller Sues for Divorce.
Ida Miller today filed suit for divorce from her