The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-03-12
PAULA JOHNS HARDSTRUGGLE
LOST EMPLOYMENT ny ILLNESS
AND FOREIGN ACCENT.

Door Is In jail She Dreadct-Ieft
Germany Becase OF Stcpmother--Her
$1,000 Went on DOctors-IIad Pupils
Miss Paula John, the teacher of French
and German who swallowed an ounce
OF ohloroform in the vestibule of the home
Of the Rev. William Cleveland Hicks. curate
Of st. Agnes's chapel, on Friday night, was
held in $500 bail in the West Side police court
yesterday on a charge of attempted suicide.
As no one came forward to give the bond.
she was locked up in the court prison until
tomorrow, when the examination will
take place.
Owing TO III health. which interfered
seriously with her efforts 10 make a living.
Miss John has been respondent for several
months. and on several occasions she has
threatened TO end her life. She came to
this country six years ago from Germany.
becalse OF the death of her mother. TO
whom abe was passionatev attached. and
tho second marriage Of her father. Her
friends say that she was unable 10 get long
with her stepmother and made up her mind
TO come to America with view TO support
ing herself by teaching. She was fairly
we'll educated and she brought with her
more than 81 900, which she inherited from
her mother.
After studying in the summer schools
at Radcliffe and Teachers College she got
place as instructor in German and French
but her broken English combined with her
natural shyness made 1t difficult for her to
control her classes and she lost her place
she was next engaged as "A governess in
private family but did not keep the place
long.
She had become a regular attendant at
ST Agnes's Chapel. in West Ninety-second
street and the Rev. Mr. Hicks was induced
TO take an interest in her He got her en-
pIoyment with the Western Electric Com
pnhy' she had been chronic sufferer
from spinal trouble and the long ride daily
back and forth from the Office downtown to
her boarding place in Harlem, often hanging
TO strap, was too much for her and again
she was obliged to give up her place Then
she tried working in a burnt wood estab-
lshment but she could not stand the fumes
OF Sllphuric acid used in the process In
the holidays she got a place as foreign
correspondent in Brentanos. Once more
III health compelled her TO give up Never
theless she refused the offer Of Mr. Hicks
TO send her 70 the Fresh Air Home at Summit.
n. j.. saying that she wanted no charity.
and that she was determined TO support
herself
In the mean time all the cash she had
brought from Germany had been spent.
mostly with doctors who failed 70 cure her.
She had also taken treatment AT a hospital
without getting relief. Then Mr. Hicks
got her place to board with a Mrs. Blake
at 3sS st. Nicholas avenue, and she secured
several pupils TO whom she gave lessons in
French and German She lived comfortably
and was in no immediate want but the
shadow Of i'll health was always upon her.
On Friday evening she called at the Hat
Of Mr.. Hicks at - West Ninety-third street.
He was not at home She waited long
time for him TO return. Finally she went
down the stairs to tho vestibuic and drank
the chloroform, which she carried in a small
vial.
short time afterward Mr. Hicks got
home He found Miss John in the vestibule
all but unconscious from the drug. Taking
her arm he started with her toward the
Office Of DR.. A W. Rolf At Ninety-thrd
street and Central Park West On the
way she collapsed and tho poison vial fell
out Of her hand. Mr. Hicks hailed a young
they carried the girl to the physicians
office.
Dr. Rolf said yesterday that he immedi-
ately detected the odor of chloroform
on the Young Woman's breath and he gave
her an emetic When she came to. she
declined TO tell where she had bought the
chlorofoun or why she had tried to end
her life. Tho young man who had helped
Mr.. Hicks To carry her TO DR.. Rofi's went
back To Ninety-third street and found the
empty vial, but there was no label on 1t.
When DR.. Rof said that she ought to
be sent to a hospital, Miss John begged
10 be sent home
Don't let them send me TO Jail she
said over and over again TO Mr.. Hicks
As the case was a serious one, here was
nothing to do but call an ambulance Mr..
Hicks went out 10 find a policeman. but
there wasn't one in sight. After securing
the neighbOrhood for nearly half hour he
went to the Ninety-third street station OF
the elevated road and asked one Of the
policemen on strike duty there to take
charge OF the case. The cop refused n
the ground that he had been assigned TO
special duty and couldn't leave his post
Mr.. Hicks went back TO Or. Roff's office /
and from there telephone message was
sent 10 Police Headquarters for an am
bulance. Finally, one from the j. Hood (
Wright Hospital arrived and took the
young woman. after Policeman Mackrell
had put her under arrest
Mrs Blake said yesterday that Miss
John was quiet and well behaved and that
she always paid her board promptly. She 4
said she had few callers except the pupils !
who came TO the house for lessons Mrs
Blake did not gee her go out on Friday +
night and thought she was asleep in her
room until a policeman went to the house I
Mt o'clock yesterday morning and told I
her that her boarder had tried TO poison /
hnrenlf