The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1902-07-15
BABY RUTH ORPHANED
HER MORBID MOTHER COMMITS
SUICIDE.
The child Played an Engagement as
Juvenile Dancer at the Orpheum
Some Time Ago.

SAN FRANClSCO, July 5.-ONerCOme
by the responsibility of rearing her
little daughter to be a better woman
than herself and fearful of her un-
fitness for the task, a young mother
drank poison in the ferry building yes
terday afternoon, and so gave up her
life for the sake of her little girl.
Mrs. Lille Friend, the wife of fire.
man on the Santa Fe, was the young
woman who so pitifully destroyed her
self. While the little girl for whose
happiness she died was shooting fire.
crackers in the halls below the mother
lay writhing in the commissions of
death in a closet of the ferry building.
The illness and suffering that falls to
the lot of her sex had made her morbid
till in her love for her little girl she
fancied herself unworthy to do a moth
eT's part.
Mrs Friend and her little daughter
Ruth came to the city yesterday morn
ing on the early boat from Point Rich
mond, where they lived. on the boat
the mother talked in a most cheer
full manner with a neighbOr, and
was full of bright plans for the future
of Ruth who has been a juvenile
dancer on the Orpheum circuit. But
the cheer only served to hide the sOr-
row, for, when she reached the city,
Mrs. Friend went directly to the owl
drug store and purchased some sui
phate of zinc and a bottle of carbolic
acid.
Her good spirits still unrfned by the
contemplation of suicide, the mother
took her daughter to see the perform
ance of "Zaza" at the Alcazar Thea
ter. Then the pair started, homeward
bound, for the Santa Fe ferry.
Giving Ruth some fireCrackers, Mrs.
Friend left her and went to a remote
room in the building. The child played
with the firecrackers till her mothers
long absence made her uneasy and she
went in search of her. She found her
unconscious and in commissions from
the poison.
The unfortunate woman was hurried
to the Harbor Hospital and placed UNI
der medical care, while kind friends
removed the little girl to her home in
Point Richmond. Medical skill could
not save the mother, and she died
shortly before 10 o'clock.
In searching her clothing at the
Morgue Deputy Coroners ]. Fennell
and j. Murphy found three letters in
her pocket. One was addressed to the
woman's husband, c. b. Friend, one to
her little girl and one to Attorney c..
b. Alderman. While vague and nerv-
ously composed, the letter to the hus>
band suggests the troubles which led
Mrs. Friend to end her life.
| The letters indicate that the woman
contemplated killing Baby Ruth" at
| the same time she killed herself but
! had not the courage to do so.
| The deceased was the mother of
Baby Ruth who played on the Or
pheum circuit as far Last as Kansas
| City and as far west as Honolulu, and
was then given a berth at the Chutes.
| Prior to her accompanying her daugh-
ter, some ten or twelve year ago, she
was an extra woman for various eX-
travaganza combinations visiting the
city. According to Mr.. Freidlander OF
Fischer's, despite the help of her clever
child, she had much trouble getting
along Ind procuring the necessities Of
life. About three months ago he re-
members meeting her on the Santa FC
boat en- route TO Point Richmond, and
to the best of his remembrance she in
formed him that she had married anC
settled down in the latter place anC
seemed quite contented. He believed
she said her name was Friend. Rutl
Roland or Baby Ruth" is now abOu
IL years of age, and is considered al
exceptionally good Juvenile artist
., Mrs. Friend was about 80 years o
age. She had been the wife of he
present husband about three years
Her former husband was a New YOrl
journalist named Roland.