Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1899-08-31
KANSAS TRAGEDY RECALLED.
Was "Annie Rooney" Who Committed
Suicide in Denver, Formerly
Mrs, Cunningham.


Suicide in Denver, Formerly
Mrs. Cunningham:
ST. LOUIS, Aug 30.--In squalid little
room at No. 1S4S Market street, Denver,
Col, on June q, 1897, Mrs. John Cation, who
was better known by the police alias of
Annie Rooney" died i'll horrible agony
from the effects of a dose of trough on
rats" 1t was evident to the authorities
into whose hands she frequently fell as
common drunkard, that she had seen bet
ter days Her manner even in the darkest
hour bespoke this fact, but her passion for
drink became so uncomfortable that she
had to be frequently sent to the work
house. Tiring of her many arrests and
sojourns in Jail. and finally despairing of
ever regaining her lost reputation, 1t is
thought, she took the fatal dose.
She had never spoken of her past life to
any one, hence the Denver authorities
never gave the question of her identity
George B. Abbott, a well-to-do merchant
OF East st. Louis, arrived there to search
the identity of the suicide with his sister.
Mrs. Julia Ann Cunningham who went to
Denver, Col, from her home in Kansas
some twenty years ago.
A little over twenty years ago Mrs. Cum
ningham was the wife of Scott Cunning
ham, a ranchmsn and farmer of Rush
years. and four children had blessed the
union: Two of the woman's brothers lived
on adjoining ranches. Domestic life was
happy.
Scott Cunningham was almost twice as
large and as strong as an ordinary man.
In feats of strength he easily excelled all
common, he came out best Thus he made
old scores.
One evening, almost at retiring time,
Cunningham answered a knock at his door.
His wife heard the voice of a man ask her
husband to go with him. Cunningham re-
hat" AS he turned his back to the door
the man on the outside pulled the trigger
OF OF revolver Cunningham fell to the
1oor dead, with bullet through his brain
Efforts to apprehend the murderer were in
vain The mystery of the shooting was
never explained.
ot A ,ye year later Mrs; Cunningham left two
her brother. H: A. Abbott. now of East st.
Louis. The widow accepted a position in
Denver Col. A few months later her
brother received a letter from her that her
two two @ children r whom she had taken with
her had died. Another letter followed this
and then all trace of her was lost.
Her son, Irving. lived until Is years old.
when he died. In the meantime, the Alb
bott brothers removed to East st. Louis
and entered the coal trade. They pros
living with her uncle. H. A. Abbott, and a
short while ago became Mrs. Alveda Brad
ford. She lives in East St Louis.
East ST. Louis. received a letter from John
Cation. an inmate of the Soldiers home
at Monta Vista. Col. The letter was writ
ten In a scrawling hand and went on to
say that Mrs. Annie Cation, his wife. who
was known to the police of Denver as
Annie Rooney" was the former Mrs. Julia
Ann Cunningham and the sister of Mr.
Abbott.
The letter was shown to the Mrs. Cum
ningham's daughter, and after talking the
matter over Mr.. Abbott decided to go to
Denver and see for himself whether the
story of the old soldier was true.
He learned that the woman's effects
when she died. consisted of a calico dress
and bundle of letters. One of the letters
was published at the time of her death. 1t
was from John Cation. her husband, and
read: We'll My Beloved Darling Annie:-
Their amt an hour or day passes over my
head but what think what is my darling
doing. Is she in jale. or drunk. or raising
hell. o, may God bless her wherever She
is
Thus far Mr.. Abbotts search for infor-
nation concerning the woman whom he
thinks was his sister is fraught with many
obstacles. He is receiving the assistance
of the authorities, and will make the trip
to the Soldiers home and learn from Ca
ton all he knows about the woman
that it was possible that the woman who
committed suicide was his sister, but as
yet the evidence of that fact was lacking
He said that if his brother ascertained
that this was really true, the body of the
woman would be eXhumed and would be
given a burial in the family lot at their
old home. He expects his brother home as
soon as he has investigated the matter
thoroughly.