The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1901-10-13
is THE MYSTERY BEHIND
THESE FOUR ATTEMPTS AT MURDER?

, was paid to the suffering victim. Before
any effort was made to find the perpefrator
of the deed. he had disappeared. and all
efforts to locate him We're futile. The
darkness had swallowed him up. and all
clews had been so clevsriy covered as to
defy detection.
Miss Hawkins was in commissions from
the burns. Her face and one arm were
frightfully burned. and left marks that
: will disfiGure her for life.
Her recovery was slow. She suffered for
days. and it was weeks before she was
able to be out of the house.
The fear of the mysterious assailant now
became firmly fixed in the Hawkins fam
lily, and efforts were redoahiei 20 protect
the intended victim. Miss hawkins suffered
greatly. and the mental strain under which
she suffered almost shattered her health.
The repeated attacks became the talk OF
the town. and the list of acauaintances
was carefully scanned in the hope that 4
; possible enemy might be discovered. or
some one found toward whom the finger of
suspicion could be pointed with some
reason.
| In all this time Miss Hawkins had not
received a warning note or letter. and there
appeared to be no reason. as far as the po-
lice could discover. for the attacks.
! The police. after a time. gave up the
| search. but the subject became one for fer
| tile speculation.
/ 1t was several weeks before Miss Haw-
kins was able to leave the house. and
longer before the effects of the terrible
! shock wore off sufficiently TO restore her
| to anything like good health
I The family and the victim were begin
| ming to regain their former composure.
when another attempt upon Miss Hawkins's
life was made. and she has been living IN
\ mortal dread since. 1t is feared that IL these
attacks are continued her reason may be
/ dethroned, as the strain under which she
, 1abors is almost too much for mortar
| strength to bear.
/ The last attempt on her life was made
by poison. the same as the second The plot
! ter seems TO have a preference for poison.
| The fourth attempt, like the others. proved
unsuccessful. but that fact has only In
| tensifed the fear of the young woman.
| since it was accomplished in spite of the
most careful precautions taken for her pro-
| lection.
1t happened on Thursday evening. She was
eating the evening meal with the other
members of the family. After the meal had
been prepared she went TO the garden In
the rear of the house to summon the other
members of the family. leaving the table
deserted for a short time.
They sat down to the table and all went
we'll until the dessert was reached. As fe
happened. sliced peaches made up this
| course. Miss Hawkin finished a little SOON
| err than the others. and began eating her
Il fChSfCs. - CIV" "ChS thhch. "ACAh
| she stopped suddenly and said that they
| tasted queerly. They had a peculiar taste.
| and her suspicious. as well as those of the
remainder Of the family, were aroused at
once.
An e1 animation showed that the peaches
had been dOsed with laudanum- Miss Haw-
kins soon became very i'll. and the other
members had trouble in keeping ner awake
until a doctor could be called. He arrived
In time to take the proper methods to save
her life. but she took to her bed, where
| she remained for several days. Her condh
ton is still serious. more from the fearful
dread under which she lives than from the
effects of the poison taken in the last att
| tempt upon her life.
This fourth experience and close call
| from death was again reported to the po-
lice. and they began another Investigation.
To date nothing has developed. There Is
| said to be not even a reasonable ground
\ for suspicion as to who the person might
\ be, and the case Is rapidly developing all
| the elements of a crime Of the first magni-
I tude.
1t is thought that the poison found In
! the dish Of peaches. when the fourth at
tempt was made upon the life Of Miss Haw-
kins. was introduced while she was in the
garden. calling the other members Of the
family to supper. Its presence cannot be
accounted for in any other way. Miss Haw-
kins was only absent a few minutes. and
whoever it was that placed the laudanura
there must have been near by.
Miss Hawkins Is a bright. attractive
young woman, q years old and bearing an
excellent reputation. She Is neat in appear
ance and an active church member. She b.
longs to the Church Of Christ and takes .
deep interest In the work.
Miss Hawkins also Belongs to Ashtabul1
Lodge. Eclectic Assembly. and Is also 10:
fiuential in the proceedings. She Is disposed
to be quiet and retiring. and does not care
much for social affairs. Her efforts in this :
direction are confined to small gatherings (
of close personal friends among the youn0T
people of her own age.
Her parents are highly respected ano
stand we'll in the community. SO far 0eye
have not been able to throw n Light upon
the case.