The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1902-07-21
UNKNOWN WOMAN JUMPS FROM
RIPRAPPING NEAR INDIAN
MOUNDS PAVILION
RIVED DRAGGED BUT HER
BODY NOT RECOVERED
Deed Premeditated and Woman Fol-
lowed by Several People Attracted by
Her Wild Appearancs-Only Her Hat
Recovered and Very Slight Elue to
Her Identity.

An unknown woman committed sui
eide shortly after o'clock last night
by jumping into the river off some rip
rapping which extends from the west
bank of the river opposite the Indian
Mounds pavilion. Fishermen dragged
the river with their nets until an early
this morning, but without success.
Nothing was recovered but her hat,
which fell off the moment she struck
the water. Who the girl was or what
caused her to end her life nobody in the
Violently of the place knew.
Those who saw her before she jump
ed into the river, say that she was
about twenty-three years old, we'll
dressed and good-loOking. The girl
had evidently had some very recent
trouble, as her actions while walking
down Water street towards the river
were sufficient to attract the attention
of all who saw her. A crowd of small
boys trailed along behind her jeering
and calling to her. Mrs. Emil Placer
and her daughter Emily, of SO East
Water street, noticed her walking hur-
riedly with her skirts gathered up.
Her white underskirt was soiled as if
she had been walking while it was
raining. They say. that her face was
flushed and that she looked as if she
had been weeping. The small boys
some six or eight in number, surround
ed her at one time and she broke into
run and distanced them.
When she arrived opposite the resi-
dence of Mrs. Barbara Vogt, "a Ten
nessee street. the girl stopped and
drew her pocketbook out of pocket
IN her skirt. She counted her money
and then closed the pocketbook and
continued towards the river.
Girl Attracted Attention.
When the girl reached the river bank.
about 200 yards above the riprapping.
she increased her pace. The sight was
so unusual that it attracted the atten-
uon OF four young girls, Mary Sadors-
KY Victoria Stassl1y, Rosa Winters and
1illie Merzinsd who ran after her.
" hen she saw that she was followed.
the girl again started to run and gain
ed a considerable distance on her
youthful pursuers.
Inc rlprapping runs out into the
river about 500 feet and is built of
rock loosely thrown into a sort of a
Jam. 1t is about three feet wide in
the widest portion and very rough. The
unknown girl had considerable diff
Guilty IN making her way along +ba
stones and the younger and more ac-
i've girls gained on her She ran ont
ABOUT 300 feet and jumped off down
stream. -
Al the point where the girl i11nnad
the water is not more than three feat
ueep' and she struck bottom without
v Tlle wafer reaching her shoulders. She
, Iao determined to die, however, and
SLOWLY forced her way from the dam
until the water covered her head and
tore off her hat. anu
Several Witness Deed.
There We're several persons standing
witnessed the deed. A steam Iaunnt
was coming up the river at the time
ana the girls on the riprapping and the
persons on the bank tried in vain 70
SET the launch to go to the assista nca
OF the girl. The men in the launch
eItnef did not understand what was
9eIu 70 them, or believed that someone
rs % fyI ing TO play practical joke on
then' They passed on and the girl
SANK ana was not seen again.
AT the time the girl Jumped into
me river the four young girls were
not thirty feet behind her. There were
several boys with them, but all TOO
small to be able to make any attempt
to save her.
From the time she was first noticed
unul she ended her life. the vo11nor
woman never spoke. She turned ax7
-cileuly several times, as if to stop f1Ir-
lhef pursuit by her glance. and those
VINO We're following her instinctivaI1r
paused. That her desire to end II ali
IN the river was not long premeditated
was evident by her hurried pace and
action P''oo an"
She was dressed in a white waist
with insertions in the front. and q
Dlack skirt, with several black ribbon
BOWS seWed near the bottom.
Description of Girl.
She was about five feet four inches
TAIL ana weighed in the neighborhood
OF $50 pounds. Her hair was black. The
mar, which was recovered floating near
the riprapping, was of coarse straw
the upper part of the brim was Owed
black, leaving the crown and the low
er part of the brim white. 1t was
trimmed with two black feathers and
Diack silk ribbon, which formed two
DOW Knots in front under a bunch of
black beads about two inches in diam
etef The ribbon was forced through
the edge of the crown and through the
bllm on the right SIDE and was tied in
DOW knot under the brim on the
right side. The hat probably cost about
"a, and was such a one as a girl of
moderate means and a good taste
might wear.
At the point where she entered the
water the current is towards the east
bank OF the river. 1t is slow and hard
~ strong enough to move a body any
great distance. In building the rim
there