The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1900-12-08
ENDS HER LIFE
Maud Couchman Fired Fatal
Shot Last Night.
SUICIDE OR ACCIDENT
Mother of Dead Girl Adhere8
to Latter Theory.

There IS an air Of mystery surround
ing an alleged suicide which occurred at
about 9 o'clock last night in the family
of Mrs. A J. Couchman. of 2zs North
Water street At the hour mentioned
Miss Maud Couchman, a 17-year-old girl.
is said to have taken a pistol. of 3S-cali-
bre Harrington & Richards make, placed
it at her right temple, and then fred the
shot that ender her life
The mother Of the girl states that in
her opinion it was not suicide, but that
the gun VS. carelessly handled and in
this manner accidentally discharged. It
is said that no one was present in the
room when the fatal shot was fred. Just
a few moments before. however, Bertha.
the 13-year-old sister Of the dead g.rl,
had been in the room with her, and states
that she was sitting on the floor before
a bureau; she then took the pistol from a
lower drawer and placed it to her head,
saying, Go tell mamma" The little
girl, Bertha, then hastily left the room
and a second later heard the report Of
the pistol. She and the other members
Of the family rushed in and found Maui
in pool Of blood lying between me bu-
reau and the bed. Life extinct
From what can be gathered in the cen
fusion and historical conditions of the
relatives there had been no quarrel or
any known cause or motive for the act.
During the afternoon there had been
callers at the house and intimate friends
had been entertained by a social time In
this the now dead girl participated All
day she apparently was in the best Of
spirits and never for a moment did she
by word or action give the slightest hint
that in few hours she would take her
own life. The afternoon gaiety was fol-
lowed by a supper at which all were
present who had been there in the after
noon The mother of the dead girl gives
This statement:
I'VE had been to supper and all were
in good temper and having a good time
Among the guests was Miss Belle Rob
insun Of Texas, rooming on Main street.
All Of US were seated at the table sewing
and chatting. Miss Robinson said she
must 20 home. ACCOMPANIED ner cut
on the back porch and was there talking
with her for perhaps fifteen or twenty
minutes While there I heard a scream
from Bertha saying, oh, Maud, please
don't do it, I am a cripple ard could not
go fast, but did the best I could hur-
ried into the house and said to Mr.
Frank Stuff. who was lying on the sofa.
on. Frank, what has happened He re-
Piled. I don't know Bertha came run
ming to me and said. oh, ma. Maud has
shot herself Frank and I rushed mo
the bed room and found Maud on the
floor unconscious. blood flowing from a
wound in her right temple. Frank stoop-
Ell down and, looking at her said, she
IS dead. picked Up the pistol and gave
it to Frank"
Members of the family frankly said
thar on two previous occasions Maud had
attempted to take her own life. In Feb /
ruary last, as they assert, she took an
over dose of morphine and her mother |
and Frank Stuff worked with her one
night for five hours to revive her, and !
with the aid Of DR.. St. John succeeded in /
saving her life. Then again three weeks I
ago Frank Stuff took away twenty cap
sules of morphine found upon her
According to Frank Stuf's statement /
Immediately after supper last night /
Maud and two others Of the evening din /
ner party left the house and went to Van
Werden's pharmacy. Inquiry at this es-
adjustment, however, revealed the fact I
that the dead girl did not make any pur- /
chase. she simply requested TO see Mr.. |
Van Wer6en. and when informed that /
he was not about, returned to her home /
One Of the CLERKS at the store, however. |
admits that the poison register reveals |
the fact that she had on number Of oc- |
casions purchased morphine in small |
quantities.
AS far as can be learned, Immediately /
upon her return from the drug store she !
entered her bed room, closely followed by /
her little sister Bertha, and a few min
utes later performed the tragic deed /
whose details are related above.
All through the affair there was an air .
of mystery which the officers greatly /
added in the course Ct their tnvestiga-
tons.
officers A. NJ. Sutton and Lee Of the |
North Main street beat, received a police
call from headquarters at $50 and imme-
diately responding, went directly to the
house. officer Sutton says that when he
demanded the weapon from Frank Stuff,
the same with which the deed was com
mitted, he was refused He says that he
finally threatened to arrest Stuff, who
had the revolver in his possession, IN
less he should surrender it, when the
latter gave it up Later in the night
Chief of Detectives Harry Sutton made
q thorough investigation. but declined 10
make public his results until after the
inquest. which VIII be held this morning
at 10 O'Clock Under Sheriff Svl Duncan
who also was promptly on the scene. +
made an Investigation. but he likewise
is reticent in the matter of giving any
detail of his findings. Coroner McCouis-
ter was summoned by the oeBce-s and (
said that the case must be further in
vestigated before any conclusion can be
arrived at.
Mhan Questioned anart from al other