The Washington times., 1905-04-24

Weakened physically by year OF all
most unremitting toll in the hospital.
and discouraged at the seeming endless
prospect of life of sameness, Miss
Matte L. Hopkins. pupil nurse at
the Columbia Hospital, Twenty-fifth
street and Pennsylvania avenue, COM
mitted suicide yesterday by slasning her
throat with a butcher knife.
The young woman (she was only
twenty-eight years of age was on her
first vacation of two weeks, and was
visiting at the home of her lifelong
friend, Mrs. William H Hilleary. Belts
vile. Md.
Yesterday she and Mrs. Hilleary at
tended Easter worship in the Methodist
Church at Beltsville.
Rushed Out of Church.
Miss Hopkins evidently contrasted her
own condition with the general tone of
happiness in the service. for she burst
into tears when the minister was in the
midst of his sermon and ran out of the
church. Mrs. Hilleary followed, but
Miss Hopkins babe her go back, saying
that she was all right, and would go
home.
Miss Hopkins walked to the Hilleary
house, less than a block away. Mr. Hill
leary let her in through the door of
his store, which is the only entrance to
the House. and she went to her room.
That was the last seen of her alive, and
II was evident that she made very hasty
preparations to end her life, SO that she
might not be Interrupted by the return
from church of Mrs. Hiileary.
Clothing Carefully Arranged.
That her clothing might not be ruin
ed by the blood, Miss Hopkins removed
her skirt, jacket, waist, gloves, and hat,
and laid all carefully on the bed. The
butcher knife, which was keen as a
razor, she secured from the kitchen,
and there, too she secured a tumpler OF
water, in which she dissolved poisonous
tablets, which she brought from the hos
pital 1t was the work of a moment to
place a bowl at the foot of the bed to
catch the blood. and, after swallowing
the poison, to draw the keen blade round
her neck.
Despite her weakness Miss Hopkins
displayed a tenacity of purpose I'M
equaled, as she conquered the pain ano
pressed the keen edge into her flesh
Only the backbone checked the knife
and prevented her head from being com
pletely severed. During the enactment
OF the tragedy the young nurse uttered
not a sound and Mr.. Hilleary, who
was in the next room, suspected moth
ing until his wife came home.
Poison Ineffective.
As soon as she had mounted the stairs
Mrs Hilleary went to her guests room
and with a scream announced the dis
covery of the body, from which life
was even then extinct. DR.. Charles A
Fox, who was called, stated that death
was due to hemorrhage, the poinsor
which Miss Hopkins swallowed not hav
ing sufficient time TO be absorbed.
A jury, secured by Constable Charle
A Kicks, sat at the inquest conductet
later in the day by Deputy Coroner JOIN
7. Burch, OF Berwyn, and gave it a
their verde. that Miss Hopkins cam
to her death from knife wounds, self
inflicted during temporary mental aber
ration.
If the suicide was premeditated Mis-:
Hopkins never spoke of it, though she
exhibited marked traces of melan
cholia. After nightfall on Saturday
she wanted to go to the cemetery
which is visible from the window o.
the room she occupied, but was per
suaded to stay at home. Tomorrow sh'
will be buried in that same cemetery.
Miss Hopkins left the hospital OF
Wednesday for her vacation, and ar
Several times she spoke of her life IL
the hospital. and declared that she hat
to do many things which taxed hel
strength to the utmost
A Native of Beltsville.
The young nurse was a native o.
Beltsville, ner parents having resided
there most of their lives. During recon
years, since the family was broken VI
by the deaths of mother and father, fiv.
OF Miss Hopkins six brothers, Bos
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