The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1902-05-22
HAD HORROR
Of POVERTY.
Died With Foster Child She So
Dearly Loved at Her Side.
FAMILY AND FORTUNE GONE
Pressed By Creditors She Turned 90 The
Gas and Ended Llfs's SuIfsIIngs bI
Committing Suicide.
FAMILY AND FORTUNE GONE

New York. May 2-Overburdened with
financial troubles. Miss Jennie Stetson
forty-eight years old ended her life and
that of the only person she loved In the
world--her adopted daughter Annie Hage
aged seventeen. The girl, pretty and
childish-looking, went TO sleep Monday
night after kissing her foster mother good
night and never awakened.
The woman's resolve 10 end both OF
their lives was formed early yesterday
morning. She got up from the bed where
sDs mad been lying with the girl, closed
the windows and door. turned on the gas
from two burners in the room, sat down
on the floor with her back propped
against the bed, and waited for death.
Miss Stetson ana her FOSTER child ilNeo
on the TOP. noor Of No. "a 81 Francis
place. BROOKLYN. renting the apartments
from Samuel H. Marriott whose family
occupies the lower part OF the house.
Miss Stetson and Annie moved there
Nav !. The woman kept 10 herself ana
the Marriotts saw little OF her The girl,
who attended the Erasmus Hall high
school IN Flatbush. was OF CHEEKY dis
position and quickly mace Friends with
everybody.
ADOPTED GIRL WHEN WELl.-TO-DO.
The girl was the daughter OF John
Hage, a poor tailor. living In "A rear tene-
was the eldest of five children. Her
mother has been semi-invaid for sew
eral years. Miss Sietson adopted the
girl i've years ago. MISS Stetson at that
time had a comfortable fortune. Tier
relatives are now i'm good circumstances.
Miss Stetsons mother aud her brother,
George II. StctSon. live at no. 2lb liAlsey
street Another brother, Boyd Stetson,
lives I'm the neighborhood.
For SLme time Miss Stetson and MEM
bers OF her family had been estranged.
differences
of her adoption of Annie and her lavish
expenditures upon the girl. There was
trouble, also. because of her Efforts 10
conduct a boarding house. which involved
her in financial loss Miss Stetson until
MAY l conducted a large boarding house
at No. lG5 Taisey street She spent $1,000
fitting -uP- the -f-4aeeT-|tw was patron
lied by wel-to-do people. but Miss Stet-
son was not shrewd ia a business way
Members OF her family advised her 10
give up the place, but she clung To IL
until all OF her funds We're gone aud the
opportunities of storekeepers and other
creditors forced her out
PRESSED BY HER CREDITORS.
Her principal creditor was Charles
Ferguson, wealthy coal dealer at No.
g. Kent avenue. Brooklyn, living at No:
him "A considerable sum for coal. When
other creditors pressed her for payment
Mr.. Ferguson advanced her FUNDS az
different times, she giving him as Sc
contents OF the boarding house. The
furniture was sold at auction I'm April
and realized only about 500, or half the
amount of the mortgage. After the sale
Miss Stetson and her foster daughter
moved 10 the St Francis place house,
with only enough of her belongings 10
furnish three rooms.
MIR. Ferguson visited Miss Stetson Mon
day night TO talk over her business affairs
and left the house about $3.50 o'clock Mr..
Ferguson acted as a business adviser out
of friendship for the woman, and his re-
port OF her business affairs, IL is sup
posed. made her melancholy. but she gave
him no hint OF the tragedy that was so
soon to take place.
Yesterday morning Grace Howard, the
servant employed by the Marriotts. mo-
ticed the odor OF escaping gas Mr.. Mar
TiOtt entered the back room used by the
woman and girl as sleeping apartment
the door being unlocked. A physician
who was sent for said Miss Stetson and
Annie had been dead at least two hours.
on a table Capt. Murphy. of the Grand
avenue police station, found two notes
One note read:
MIR C. Ferguson Please send for him
Telephone No. 1895. Williamsburg.
The second note read:
Annes father is John Hage, III Put
nam avenue"
Mr., aud Mrs. Hage were prostrated
when they heard the news. Annie fire.
quently visited them. Mr. Ferguson
called at the house and was much dis
tresscd by the tragedy Later the two
brothers Of Miss Stetsun called and had
the bcdies removed TO an undertaking
place. The brothers refused 10 discuss
the tragedy.