Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-04-09
WITH SUICIDAL INTENT
ELDERLY WOMAN ATTEMPTS TO
LEAP FROM WINDOW.

An agent of the board of charities took
an elderly woman from the house of de-
tention yesterday and provided her with
accommodations at the Central Union Mis-
sion. A Star reporter subsequently called
at the mission to make inquiries about
her, and while he was in an adjoin-
ing room she went to the window
and tried to throw herself from the fifth
story to the ground She about half
way out of the window when the reporter
reached her, and it was with considerable
difficulty that she was prevented from TAX
ing the leap which would probably have
caused her death. The woman exhibited
surprise when told that she would have to
be seated and keep quiet.
81 have a right to go out there" she
said.
Her name had been recorded by the po-
lice as Mrs. Anna McGwinn and her aga
given as sixty years. According to the
police report she was found wandering
about the streets In the vicinity Of Sd and
H streets northeast early Friday evening, and
was sent to the house Of detention after she
had stated that she had no relatives in this
city. 1t develops that the woman is Mrs
Catherine McInerney. She has a son and
other relatives in this city and owns real
estate here. Her statement to the police
was that she had come from Baltimore.
She had been in Baltimore and had been
cared for in home, but had probably
returned here this week
She had number of legal documents
anu other papers in her possession; one
showing that she had sold piece of prop
erty at 236 Sd street northwest, and that
She still owns house 119 I'd street north
west. At the latter number a Star re-
porter was able to learn something of her
nd al Of
her whereabouts and went to the Central
Union Mission later in the day to see her.
In conversation with reporter Mrs
Mclnerney stated that she had come here
from Baltimore to see the President. She
1magines she has been robbed of $4,000,
and thinks the President will reimburse
her; 1t Is stated that she has been mar
ried several times, and that one husband
was named Dennis ODea or ODay Dur
ing the war she lived in Richmond, Va,
and she alleges that property worth sew
the soldiers. bill has been introduced
In Congress by Senator Daniel for her re-
lief. and this, it is believed has caused her
SO much worry that her mind has become
affected.
Friends say she has spent large
amount of money prosecuting the claim,
and most of her property, they say, is
mortgaged. Shortly after sne reached the
Central Union Mission this morning she
complained that her head ached, and asked
that the windows be left open, as she
wanted the air. Her conversation had
given the impression that her mind was
affected, and her request was therefore
denied. The superintendent of the women's
apartments had not been out of the room
more than a minute when some one
screamed:
The womans jumping out the window"
There was no other man on the top floor
of the building but the reporter and as
already stated, he caught her just in time
to prevent her falling to the pavement.
While at the mission yesterday afternoon
most of the time. The people in charge
of the mission were afraid to keep her there
over night and sent her back to the house
of detention last night. Her son called to
see her and made arrangements to have his
mother conveyed to friends in Virginia to-
morrow.