Ottumwa tri-weekly courier., 1904-06-07
WOULD END LIFE
MISS MYRTLE WILCOX PREFERS
WATERY DEATH TO LOSS OF
HER LOVER.
Miss Sadie Cole. Dashng Western Girl
Wins Love Of Jacob Van Kirk and
Tilted Girl Makes Desperate Run to
Drown Herself and Her Sorrows.

Heartbroken and frantic with grief
because her lover, Jacob Van Kirk,
had Tilted her for another girl, Miss
Myrtle Wilcox, Saturday evening with
a threat that she would end her life.
grasped her skirts and raising them
to her knees ran with a speed that
distanced all pursuers until her
strength failed her and she fell un-
conscious on the very banks Of the
Des Moines river into which she hop
ed to throw herself. Frustrated she
lies under the care of physician in
her bed at the home of her parents,
Mr. and Mrs. Fred H. Wilcox, who re-
side in the rear of 626 East Main
street.
| For several months Z Miss Wilcox,
| who is about eighteen years of age
and rather pretty girl, has reigned
supreme in the heart of Jacob Van
Kirk, an erstwhile barber, who boards
at S13 East Main street. A few days
ago a dashing Colorado beauty, Miss
Sadie Cole, who gives her home adj
dress as Denver, arrived on the scene
and with girl partner secured rooms
at the Hersham boarding house at 626
East Main street, directly in front of
the Wilcox home.
| Grew Cold and Distant.
| Van Kirk and the dashing western
| girl met and from that instant Van
Kirk, it is said, grew cold and distant
| grieved and brooded and according to
| the statement of her mother has not
been herself at all.
Saturday evening about o'clock
| Van Kirk and Miss Cole were walk
ing together AT the corner of East
Main and Vine streets they We're ac-
costed by Miss Wilcox The trio walk
4 cd nm nd 1r1x, y, or noe frocr
the boarding place of Miss Cole two
or three times. Miss Wilcox pleaded
with Van Kirk to give, Up the other
| girl and return to herself.
~. - Dashed for the River.
4 Van Kirk refused and with threat
that she would end her life Miss Will
cox left the two and fastening back
] down the street, passed Miss Coles
boarding place entered and passed
quickly through her own home. Once
out the back door she picked up her
the railroad tracks and vacant lots,
/ straight for the river at the Vine
i street bridge. Some children who had
l,heard her threats and saw her start
for the river called to her father who
was inside the house. He dropped his
/ paper, stepped to the door and gave
chase to the flying girl. Several 9TH
tanced them all.
At the Milwaukee tracks on the
edge of the river bank her strength
4 failed her and she fell unconscious.
She was picked up by her father and
4 Thomas Glenn. officer Frank Picker
arrived almost at once and with the
4 father carried her back to her home.
She was still unconscious when they
reached the house and when she re-
covered later fell into a hVSterical
state which necessitared the care of
a physician.
Still Frustrated.
At her home after she regained con-
sciousness she called repeatedly for
i Van Kirk. Her father, hoping to re-
store his daughter as quickly as pos
!. sible, begged Van Kirk to come to the
girls bedside but he refused Miss
Wilcox still lies at her home in a
highly nervous and Frustrated condi-
ton.
1 When seen at her home this morn
ing Mrs. Wilcox mother of the girl
\ stated that her daughter had not been
in good health for several days, that
she was gloomy and had been brood
ing over the fact that Van Kirk pre-
ferred another girl to herself. "She
! did not say anything at all when she
passed through the house Saturday
i evening" said Mrs. Wilcox, but
! noticed that she was greatly excited
A moment after she was gone some
one called to us that she was running
toward te river and was going to
drown herself. Mr.. Wilcox pursued
her and when she fell picked her up at
the Milwaukee tracks. She was in a
| hysterical condition when she recov-
cred consciousness and she is not able
to be up today or to see anyone"