The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1900-10-13
Jennie Burkhardt Arranged (,
Meet Her Mother. Then
Took CarbOlic Acid.
PUT HER PHOTO ON MANTEL
When Mrs. Burkhardt Entered the
Eorm She Found Her Dau.l-
ter's Dead Body on Sofia
Forrtoid Her Death.

When Mrs Charles Burkhardt. who con-
ducts n grocery store at No. 1910 Benton
street. returned yesterday afternoon TO the
residence of Mrs. Walter F. Buschmann
OF No. 31(S Iowa avenue. where she boards.
fordiy expecting to accomplish reconcilia-
lion with her daughter. Jennie who had
been living away from her for some months.
she found her child lying. dead on sofa
beneath a mantel. on which was the girfs
picture. placed there by her especially for
her mothers benefit. Her death resulted
from dose of carboiic acid, taken with
suicidal intent.
The girl WIS IS years old. and for several
months had been making her own living.
She left home shortly before Christmas
because her father upbraided her for quit
tirg her studies at the High School. He
died about two months ago. hut the gil
Only returned to her mother Yesterday. She
arrived al Mrs. Buschmann's house at 1
o'clock. and an hour later she was dead.
For four weeks and two days she had
been living at No. 22lG Olive street. where
she was known as Mrs. George.
The motive that prompted the act Is a
mystery to her mother and ffi nds. al
though the mother says the girl may have
had q love affair of which she knew moth
ing. They say that she was superstitious
ard inclined to melancholia.
According TO the statement of Miss Block.
who met the Bu-khardt girl when she went
to board at the Olive street house, she fire.
uuently discussed self-dcstructioa and eN-
pounded her belief that il was not cowardiy
to commit suiCiGe when tired of living.
In the course of one OF these discussions
in Miss Blocks room a small clock on the
mantel stepped.
Foretold Her Death.
Miss Burkhardt pointed to it and said:
That's a bad sign. II means that some
one in this house will die soon
well. its my clock" RESPONDED Miss
Block land guess I'll he the one to die
1T will not be you" the Burkhardt girl
renlied.
Mrs Fannie Moore with whom the Burk-
hardt girl roomed, said that she came to
her house Wednesday. September 10. repre-
sentei herself as Mrs. George ard secured
a room. A few hours later a man. whom
she introduced to Mrs. Moore as her hus-
band. Mr.. George, called. THE couple
spent the week at my house" said Mrs.
Moore. "and then Mr.. George went away,
but visited the house afterwards.
Neither the girls mother nor Mrs Busch
mann have any knowledge of the girls
marriage, they say, or of any man named
George. They say. however. that the girl
said In their presence. about three weeks
ago that she was known as Mrs. George
where she was boarding and cautionei
tHefn 10 ask ior tnat taoy IL NHt! tdicu ~
see her. she told Us that in = Joking
way" said Mrs. Buschmann." and we did
not imagine she was serious.
About noon Yesterday she left Mrs.
Moore's. saying that she was going to stay
with her mother, who Is boarding with Mrs.
Buschmann. Mrs. Moore said that the girl
appeared in good spirits when she left her
house. She arrived at Buschmann's house
about l O'Clock Mrs. Burkhardt was alb
sent at her store. No. 1910 Benton street
Mrs. Buschmann and the girls mother
thought that she was employed as a book
keeper in the Century building. but they do
not remember, they say. who her daughter
said employed her. When Mrs. Buschmann
asked the girl why she was not at work
she replied that she was given a holiday.
Il told Jennie to come in and make her
self at home" said Mrs. Buschmann, "and
that / was glad she came, because / wanted
to &c to her mothers store in the after
noon for some groceries. She said that she
would go with me and that she was tired
and would rest until 1 was ready to start.
i did not notice that her actions were pc
culiar, but in the light of this tragedy /
can see that the girl must have made up
her mind TO end her life. When she en-
tered the house she carried her portrait in
her hand. She save 1t to me and asked me
to give 1t to her mother.
Mother is the one who should have my
picture she said. She had taken the picture
away from her mother a few months be-
fore when angry. and supposed she felt
sorry and brought it back. l told her to
place the picture on the mantel. where her
mother would see 1t when she came home
This she did.
Reclined on Mothers Sofa.
Il told Jennie to lie down on my bed,
but she wouldn't do IL. She said she wanted
to sleep on her mothers bed and went into
the front room and reclined on her mothers
sofa She wanted to close the folding