Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1905-09-16
Drives Ella Berry Of W.
Medford to Suicide.
Accused Of E|oping With Mar
ried Man, Her Heart Broke.
Stood Unmerited Disgrace Long as Pos.
sibIe, Then Committed Suicide.

Berry carpenter of West Medford
Mass. today. identified as that of his
daughter Ella. the body of the young
woman who committed suicide
Wednesday. in the Hotel Manhattan
His son, Elmer l.. Berry. pronounced
the body that of his sister After MAX
ing the identification, the father and
son sought Coroner Scholer to secure
Il permit to take the girls body back
to h2r home in West Medford for
burial.
The newspapers have done all this. ="
said the father. when he was able to
control his grief. MY daughter, who
Was Il pure and modest girl, was a
stCnoarapher in her home town. a
year ago a Boston newspaper pub
a story that she ran away with a mar
ried man. The next day it turned out
that she had merely gone on her vaca-
ton alone and that she had nothing to
do with the married man named in the
story who had disappeared.
THE newspaper printed retraction,
but that did not help my daughters
feelings. The injury done to her was
great and she never recovered from it.
.'lit SItN IlicIc tilt 1l1OIc leu
ana morose and this (pointing to the
coffin in which her body lay). is what
that cruel. false, malicious story has
brought her to-
Mr.. Berry said that his daughter left
her home. Tuesday last. coming to New
York on the Fall River Line steamer.
He said that he received telegram
from her. Wednesday morning. but he
refused to say what We're it's contents.
She registered at the Manhattan Hotel.
" ednesday afternoon, under the name
Of "A. w. Wildey of Washington, d.
c." and that night killed herself with
poison and pistol. leaving the note to
the effect that her body would be called
for.
wherever my daughter would go"
said Mr.. Berry. cit would seem as if
somebody was ready to point to her as
girl who had been mixed up in a dis
graceful affair. Then she went away
from home to seek employment in
other cities. She would be Il short time
III Il place when the story would reach
the ears of her employers and she
would be told that she could not re-
main. This happened several times un-
til my child could bear it any longer"
Elmer Berry. the dead girls brother.
said that a letter had been received by
the family from the girl in which she
notified them that she had decided to
put an end to it.
81 cannot bear this false stain upon
my character" she wrote to her IA
theT. II see nothing else left for me to
DO than to kill myself. Please forgive
nc and believe that would not do this
if il were not that I am nearly out of
my mind with grief and horror at the
awful story which everybody seems to
think is true
When Mr.. Ferry saw Coroner Scho-
Ter he told more details of the events
which led up to his daughters suicide
She was employed. he said, as a
stcnographer by the A. T. Picard Co.
electricians. of Boston. About a year
ago. he said. Mr.. Picard was commit
ted to an insane asylum. but did not
stay long. He was released by a court
order. During the time he was in the
asylum. Miss Berry was in charge of
the business. Mr.. Picard returned to
his Office after his release from the asy-
lum. He committed suicide in June
last. His family took charge of his af-
fairs and Miss Berry lost her place.
The story was printed in the newspa-
pers and made Il scandal. but the
girls father declared that the attacks
upon her reputation were wholly I'M
justiiiable. He said also that the news
papers finally justified her. The pub
licity so affected Miss Berry, however,
that she became Respondent and would
not be cheered.
on Sept. l. her mother, hoping to di-
vert her mind. took her to Hampton
Beach, \. Fl. They returned to West
Medford. on the 18th. The next day.
Miss Berry left home and then her sis
ter III West Medford received a letter
written in New York. telling them
that she intended to kill herself. Soon
alter that came the news of her sui
eide in the Hotel Manhattan.
Mr. Berry reiterated his statement
mat the charges against his daughter
were false and without foundation.
inc body Of the dead girl will he
taken to West Medford on the train
leaving here at o'clock, this afternoon