The Washington times., 1902-03-20
Mrs. Kate Murphy Hangs
Herself at St. Elizabeth'S.
VICTIM OF SUICIDAL MANIA
Unfortunate Woman Made Moose Out
of a Sheet During the Absence OF Her
Attendant-Was Breathing Her Last
When Discovered.

Mrs. Kate Murphy. thirty-seven years
of age. who for more than a year was
an inmate of St Elizabeth's. committed
suicide last evening by hanging herself
with an improvised moose made out of
a sheet. She was breathing her last when
discovered by her nurse.
About o'clock one of the nurses had
TO leave Mrs. Murphy by herself for
few minutes. Before she left she placed
a canvas jacket on the demented woman
and tied her to the bed When she re-
turned few moments later she found
that Mrs. Murphy had freed herself of
the jacket and had torn the sheet OF the
bed into shreds and formed a rope which.
she had tied around one of the bars Of
the window guard. Drawing the bed over
to the window she made the rope short
enough to prevent her feet from touching
the floor. She then jumped off the bed
and stranguIation followed.
Was Breathing Her Last
Although the nurse was absent but a
few minutes she found Mrs. Murphy
breathing her last
She hastily summoned DR.. C. H. Clark.
the physician in charge at the hospital.
but Mrs. Murphy was too far gone to be
resuscitated. The physicians and nurses
worked over the unfortunate woman for
some time in the hope of bringing her
back to life, but their efforts proved futile.
Mrs. Murphy suffered with homicidal
and suicidal mania and had attempted to
take her life several times. Every two or
three weeks she had these attacks. She
was watched very closely. and when not
watched she was placed in jackets and
tied to the bed. Last evening every pre-
caution had been taken. She was placed
in a canvas jacket and tied to the bed.
The patient in some manner broke the
cords and tore away the jacket
Came Here From California.
Mrs Murphy came to this city from
California about three years ago. After
losing her husband she resided with her
mother. Mrs. Bridget Hughes, of 72l
Sixth Street southeast.
About a year after she removed TO this
city she was found wandering around the
streets in a demented state of mind. She
had delusions that some one was going
to kill her. and that the shadows cast by
her own body were those OF a man about
10 kill her.
She was taken into custody by the Off
GERS of the First precinct and while walt
ing her trial for commitment tried several
times to commit suicide. She was COM
mitted to st. Elizabeth's shortly after
ward, and it proved hard task for the
attendants to keep her from killing her
self before she finally succeeded.
Sister of Policeman Hughes.
The unfortunate womaE was the sister
of Policeman Frank Hughes, of the Fourth
Precinct. Mr.. Hughes has been stationed
at the Long Bridge for some months.
During the intervals between attacks of
her suicidal tendency she was not SC
closely watched. Whenever one of her at
tacks would take hold of her she would
strike and hit the attendants. Not only
would she use violence with the nurses,
but she would attack other patients at the
hospital.
Coroner hewitt was notified and issued
:: certificate of death by suicide. The re-
mains will be removed from the hospital
This morning by relatives.