The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-06-16
CAMERAS
THE III. LIEBER COMPANY.
20 West Washington Street
BELLE SCHAfFER DEAD
SHE COMMITTED SUICIDE IN Pearl
sUTToN's RESORT.
Girl Was Addicted TO Drink and
Probably Was Remorseful-she
Left a Note.

Despondent through excessive drinking,
Belle Schafer, an inmate Of a resort kept
by Pearl Sutton, S24 West Chesapeake
street, took her life yesterday with 20 cents
worth of morphine and one ounce Of laud-
anum. Her rash act was well planned EVIL
IDENTIFY. for she wrote a short note giving
instructions about the disposal of her body.
Pearl Sutton, the keeper of the place, was
blamed by the Schaffer woman for the
deed. In her note she said the Sutton
woman was the cause of her troubles. Inc
latter, in speaking Of the affair, said Belle
Schaffer had come to her house from An
derson about one month ago. She was ad-
dicted to drink and when intoxicated was
quarrelsome She said she had been ad-
vised several times by the police to send
the girl away from the house. She asked
the girl 10 go away, but she would not
listen to such a request. The girl left the
house late Saturday night ostensibly to
60 TO a drug store to procure bar OF soap
and did not return that night. About 10
o'clock yesterday morning one of the in
mates. Mamie McIntire. was called to the
front door by a knock. When she opened
IL she was confronted by Belle Schaffer,
scantily clad and holding several packages
under one arm. She walked into the house,
bye, Mamie" The latter looked up in as
constituent and wanted to know where she
was going. The Schaffer girl became in
dignant when the McIntire girl refused TO
accept the proffered hand. and said: IF
you don't shake hands with me now this
will be your last chance, as l am going
10 kill myself"
This declaration was laughed at by the
other woman. The Schaffer girl then
walked TO corner of the room, calmly
raised a small phial to her lips and drank
the contents. AS she threw the empty
bottle to the floor she said in a melodra-
matte tone: Now, you will probably take
some serious notice Of me-
The McIntire girl, frightened, ran
screaming from the room to the back
yard, where she found Pearl Sutton. The
latter did not take the news seriously at
first When she entered the house Belle
Schaffer was nearly dead. The bicycle po-
licemen and City Dispensary were notified.
and Lambert, went to the house. The doc
tors administered antidotes, but they
proved OF nc avail. They worked with the
woman until l o'clock yesterday afternoon,
when she expired. While they were work
ing with her she regained consciousness
several times. and told them she had taken
a quantity OF morphine before she had come
20 the house She pleaded with the doctors
TO let her die.
The note the girl left was poorly written.
IL said that in case death resulted that
the body be sent to Bedford, Ind, to Mar
garet Schaner. In the note she said her
true name was Belle Schaffer She said
her fathers name was Frederick Schaffer,
and that he, with her mother. lived in
Stnesville. Ind The note closed by ac-
cusng the Sutton woman OF being the
cause OF the trouble. The latter said the
girl had often spoken of an uncle and aunt
living in this city on McCarty street. The
uncle. she said, worked at Kingan's pork
house