The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1903-11-07
'NELuE FLETCHER
ATTEMPTED SUICIDE
Woman Says Her Husband
Doesn't Love Her.
WILL NOT TRY 1T AGAIN
F. 7. Baldwin Made Rescue at
Risk of Lite.
WILL NOT TRY IT AGAIN

Because she says her husband doesn't
love her any longer, Mrs. Nellie Fletcher,
pretty little well-dresseG woman, at
tempted to commit suicide yesterday af-
tsrnoon about o'clock by throwing her
self into the Arkansas river middle-way
between the Douglas avenue and the
Maple street bridges on the east side Of
the stream.
F. t. Baldwin jumped into the river,
and Fat the risk of his own life, succeed
ed IN dragging the woman from the wa
ter just as she was losing consciousness
and about 20 succumb to the large guam
Titles Of water which she had swallowed
She was carried to Mr.. Baldwin home
on Wichita street nearby and the police
were notified. Captain Aspey was de-
tailed to get the woman and take her TO
the detention rooms. Mrs. Fletcher, who
mad by this time commenced 10 recover
fsdmeWhat from her experience, begged
piteously Of the officer 10 turn her loose.
Il want TO kill myself" she mourned.
col. why didn't they let me die? III
L
q chance" She continued to wall in that
strain al the way from 3Ir. Baldwins
home to police headquarters There she
wa staken in charge by the police matron
and given an alcohol bath and made to
take strong drinks. after which she quiet
ed down some.
Just Recovered From Sickness.
Mrs. Fletcher has left her bed but sew
eral days since she was confined TO her
home with severe Illness Her weak
condition coupled with the severe shock
which she experienced and the large
quantities Of water that she swallowed,
made her condition extremely serious for
some time after she was rescued from the
river.
1t required several hours work be-
fore she was IN condition TO fully under
stand things that were gong on about
her.
After her condition began to improve
and Mrs. Fletcher felt better. she toi4
Mrs. Shields that she is glad her attempt
TO commit suicide failed. Il VIII never
do 50 again" said the woman
Husband Didn't Come.
After the excitement occasioned by the
ing, medicine and other things for the
care of the woman WIS over. it was
thought to send for Mrs Fletchers hus-
band His name is Bert Fletcher. 1t was
learned at the police station that he is
q baker and either is now. or was
short time back employed at the West
Side Bakery on West Douglas avenue.
Up until late hour last night he had
70
see his wife Late in the evening Mrs.
Shields sent a second request for him
TO come and see his wife, but she re-
.ceived 10 response.
Lived Here Five Years.
Mr.. and Mrs Fletcher have lived in
Wichita for perhaps five years They
resided in the second floor of the business
block on the southeast corner of Seneca
& street and Douglas avenue, West Side.
! So far as is known. neither has any re-
Iatives living in the city. If Fletcher
kept his word. since he told his wife
that he intended TO leave the city tonight,
the woman is left here by herself.
Men Saw Her.
1t was shortly before , o'clock yester-
day afternoon that a force of men en-
ployed by Schwartz Bros. on barge at
pumping sand from the river, noticed
woman pacing nervously to and fro. They
thought 4he woman's actions queer and
wondered what she could be doing in
that vicinity. but were very busy and
for time forgot al about her presence
The next thing they knew some one
shouted and the men all glanced in the
Clrectioni which one was pointing. just
in time ITO see a woman disappear be-
meath the water. F T. Baldwin, who
has change Of the sand barge, ran toward
the spot where the woman disappeared
and without hesitating. jumped in after
her BY that time the woman came TO
the SURFACE and the water. not being
more than perhaps six feet deep she
was trying to drown herself by putting
her head under the water and holding
II there The woman's skirts aided in
keeping her above and from sinking after
she fcame TO the surface The current
is swift 1t that particular spot and she
WOULD have drowned in = few more
seconds had Mr. Baldwin not grasped her
abound the waist and brought her to the
shore.
If the woman had jumped into the
sriver at a point about 100 feet farther
asouth. she would have drowned before
lanyone could have reached her. The
. barge has been pumping sand IN that