The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1901-08-15
BY HER OWN HAND
PRETTY MARTHA JURGERsEN MET
DEATH ALONE.
DETERMINED SHE'D DIE.
LOCKED HERSELF IN A ROOM AND
TURNED ON THE GAS.

Her LifeIess Body Found by Her
Father When He Returned From
| Work-smeIIed Escaping Gas and
Burst Open the Door--The Chastity
Picture That Met His Gaze Dis
tracted Him-He Had Left His
Daughter in the Morning Appar-
emily Happy-The Girls Mother
Left for Germany n Month Ago.
Cause of the Suicide Unknown.
Pretty Martha Jurgersen, IS years old,
committed suicide some time yesterday
at the home of her parents, No.
Thirty-second street, east. The rash
act was probably committed early in
the morning, although the discovery
was not made until shortly after 6
o'clock in the afternoon.
Charles F. Jurgersen, the young
lady's father, returned from work at
that hour and found the house locked
from top to bottom. He entered
through the rear, and by the oninous
silence knew that something was
wrong. The usual bright face of his
pretty daughter did not greet him, and
the smell of escaping gas was quite mo-
ticeable.
With a thousand thoughts running
through his mind, and fearing the
worst, Mr.. Jurgersen rushed upstairs to
his daughters room. The rooms were
as when he left home in the morning,
and none of the beds had been made
up. The gas appeared to be issuing
from a small hall room that was not
in use, and the distracted man tried
the door. 1t was locked on the inside,
and with a blow he burst the lock-
A fearful sight met his gaze, and he
did not cross the threshold. The single
window opening on the north was
closed, and on the floor, cold and stiff,
YVES his only daughter Her head rest
ed within a few inches of a pool of
blood, and a thin stream running from
her nose showed that the crimson fluid
had not come from a wound. The sight
was an awful one, even to those who
had no more than passing interest in
the tragedy, and the father was be-
wildered. He gave the alarm, and
neighbors ran to his assistance. One of
these, a close friend of Miss Jurger-
sen, shut off the flow of gas and opened
the window. The whole atmosphere was
pervaded and there was no doubt but
that it had been escaping for hours.
Just what prompted the young wo-
man to take her life will probably
never be known. A careful search of
the house by Coroner Keller and a rep
resentative of the Morning News, fail
ed to bring to light any word of ex-
PLANTATION for the suicide. Miss Jurger-
sen had decided not to make known
the reason of her act, and left her
death a mystery. She was a fine plan
list, was of attractive parsonage and
had everything to make her life happy.
She made friends readily and those who
knew her spoke of her in the highest
terms. The scene at the house was an
affecting one and there were few dry
eyes, until after the body had been pre-
pared for burial
Mr.. Jurgersen and his son Paul left
home yesterday morning about
o'clock. Miss Jurgersen had PREPARED
breakfast and appeared to be in her
usual good spirits. Her mother went to
Germany month ago and she was
alone in the house. When father and
son left for work 1t was the last that
IHey saw Oh neT awe. Sne mad locked
the house and gone to the little hall
room, where she met her death. There
was a mattress In the room, but she
laid on the floor directly under the gas
jet. When found her features were
not distorted. She was resting in an
easy position and her death was prob
ably painless.
The Jurgersen family came to Savan-
nah from Chicago about a year ago
and boarded during the first few
months here. The family was compos-
ed of husband and wife, brother and
sister, and appeared to be a happy one.
Mr.. Jurgersen had come here to take
charge of the soap factory of the South
ern Cotton Oil Company. A month ago
Mrs. Jurgersen went ITO Germany,
where she was born. and where her
daughter was born. Miss Jurgersen in
tended going to Chicago very shortly.
Those who knew the young woman
say that at times she was inclined to
be respondent, but not because of any
treatment that she received at home.
These spells of melanchola came upon
her suddenly. Her remains will be
laid to rest in Laurel Grove Cemetery.