Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1901-12-05

Miss Ellen Kelly, aged 80 years, of
No. 800 Walnut street, this oity, is at
the German Hospital, Philadelphia,
suffering from the effects OF plunge
into the Schuylkill River from Girard
avenue bridge last Saturday, having
made an unsuccessful attempt to com
NIT suicide. Although considerably
shocked, she was not Otherwise injured
and it was announced by the hospital
authorities Monday that shs would
be released from the institution IN a
few days.
Miss Kelly's relatives have long been
OF the opinion that occasionally her
mind became unbalanced and for the
past Is years her brothers, William j., /,
Frank and Charles Kelly, with whom
she lived, have kept vigil over her as if
she mad heen child. There is no
doubt iu their minds that she was tenn
porarily unbalanced when she attempted
to take her life On several occasions,
while despondent, she has expressed the
wish that she would die, but never
before made an attempt upon her life,
30 far as is known.
She bad been visiting relatives and
friends in Philadelphia for about q
month. On Saturday she had some
teeth extracted by dentist and had
another engagements with him Tues
day. After the visit 10 The dent st
she suffered go much pain that Hhe be-
came distracted and going to Blair's
drug store, at Nineteenth and Chestnut
streets, asked for an ounce of laudanum
and arsenic, intimating that she wanted
to kill some rats The clerk feared she
had designs upon her life and sold her
phial of colored wats.. Alter leav ng
the store she boarded Girard avenue
car and when the car reached the bridge
she left it and drank the colored water,
which she supposed was po son. She
then jumped into the Schuylkill to
make sure Of doing away with herself
She was seen by Francis Shoemaker of
2119 Pine street, whu plunged in after
her and saved her from drowning.
She was taken to the German Hos
pital and as the physicians were in.
formed that she had drank poison
emetics were administered. which. how
ever, as afterward developed, were 1se-
less. When the patient recovered from
the shock she told theShospital people
who she was and gave an explanation of
her cause for trying to kill herself. She
said she was suffering with her teeth
and had been worrying because of the
marriage of younger sister, who had
been boon companion. She expressed
desire to return to her home in this
city ard may be brought home when
shs gets out of the hospital. 1t has
been intimated that the Philadelpha a
police may make an effort to detain her
on the charge of attempted suic de, but
it IS believed no trouble will be ex-
zz1 - 1l,1 4L-A
was unbalanced at the time she jumped
into the river and it is hardly likely
that the Quaker City authorities will
prosecute her after learning the facts
1t WAS learned from relative that
she has been sufferer for many years.
About 10 years ago she ruptured a
blood vessel and since that time has
had much internal trouble and several
Joseph's Hospital, Philadelphia, ia the
past few years. 1t is thought that her
afliction has extended to the nerves
leading to the brain, which condition
is thought to be accountable for her
peculiar action. Some tirns ago ner
parents died, which caused her much
worriment ana about month ago a
brother and sister were married, which
also added to her mental discomfort.
Shu and her sister had been room
mates for years and after the marriage
OF the sister she felt as IL she had lost
a very dear friend and grieved over
what appeared to her as separation.
Her relatives have done everything
in their power to comfort her. The
family is we'll to do and she has wanted
for nothing, but she has been very
nervous and restless for some time.
Her unfortunate condition has distressed
har relativas