Daily Kennebec journal., 1905-05-08
For Suicide Of Woman
from Bangor Boat.
Supposed to Have Been Mrs,
|. N. Pernette Of Newton,
Had Long Been III, Though Apparently
Cheerful on the Boat.

| here. Saturday, from Bangor, Me.
that one Of the women passengers O
| the steamship City of Rockland hat
probably jumped overheard on the tril
| from Boston, as in the statcrOom tn,
| woman had occupied was found a not,
IL. NJ. r., 139 Worcester street. Bos
TOMMY address," ard also darl
gray outer suit family dotted will
| white and Il pocketbook containing $14
At l39 Worcester street, which is the
| home of Mrs. May b. Briggs. the lat
ter said the message was undoubtedly
left by her dear friend. Mrs. Louise NJ
Pernette. who was about 80 years ole
and who in the last 10 years. had beer
in the Massachusetts General hOspita
| II times and had undergone nine oper.
ations.
Mrs. briggs says she accompanied
| Mrs. Pernette to the boat on the after.
noon it sailed from Boston. and that
the latter acted peculiarly and seemed
to desire TO be alone. despite the old
friendship which existed between them
She did not tell Mrs. Briggs whore she
WAS going TO. beyond the fact that she
was going away for the summer. Mrs
Briggs thought this so peculiar that il
prcycd upon her mind and she did not
sleep. Friday night.
Mrs. Fcrnette's husband died 10 years
ago: her father, Philip Roycc. about
three years ago, and a wealthy sister
about two years ago. and the anniver-
Sary of the two latter deaths Oc-
Cured last week. The fact preyed upon
the mind of Mrs. Pcrnette, who had
been very Respondent since the latter
part of April. and this, coupled with
her physical condition. probably led
up to her taking her life.
Her father had been pretty we'll off.
and Mrs. Pcrnette was supposed TO
have plenty of money. Usually she car
ricd concealed about her neck a gold
chain strung with diamond rings.
Whether or not she wore these at the
time of her jumping overheard Mrs
Erigggs does not know. Mrs. Pcrnctte
had made Mrs. briggs many valuable
gifts. and had given the latters daugh-
ter presents also.
Mrs Briggs says he dead woma n
leaves & nephew. J. w. Richards of
towlcy. and that the ;a:tcr was at her
- ..
nette had written him to call thcr..
some time before the 23d of May. H
had left about 10 minutes before a re-
Mrs. Pernette's death.
Last winter Mrs. Pernctte lived in
BroOkline. and recently nad been living
in Newton. About three weeks ago she
left there and went to board at 143 Con-
cord street. passing most of her days
with Mrs. BriGg. 1t had been her GUS
tom to &c away for the summer months;
According to Mrs. Briggs. Mrs. Per
nctte had as counsel a brother of Unit
cd States District Attorney NJ O.
Adams. and she says that POSSIBLY Mrs
P.rnette left her valuable rings and
jcwelry in his charge. She was Boston
woman by birth.
The woman boarded the boat at Bos-
ton and engaged an outside statcropm
in tho extreme stern of the steamer.
She entered her room and that was the
last .s"en of her. so far as could be
learned. She is described as being a
middle aged woman short. and small of
holy. ard wore dark gray mixed suit.
The address card was the only thing
which gave any clew to her identity.
In her wallet. which Was found on
tn" berth. were S13 in bills and S1O2 in
change. There was no name in the wal
let. She had small grip in which was
a night gown. whicn had not been un-
folded. and a fcw toilet articles. Her
clothing Indicated that she was d
woman i'm fairly good circumstances.
The hat she left i'm the room was of
good material and wHIl made. 1t bore
the name mark Of Wattcrholm & Love
Eren. 664 fremont street, Boston. and
the jacket bore the name Of p. F. Bon
ncy & Sons. SIS and 519 Washington
street. Boston. Mass.
The steamboat officials seem quite
certain that the occupant Of the state
room committed suicide one Of the chief
reasons being the condition of the state
room. Her jacket was on the bed. and
her outside skirt was hanging on the
wall. Tho lower berth was slightly dis
|turbcd. giving the impression that sh.
had moved her outer garments anG Ind
laid down on the outside of the berth
her head resting on the pillow.
a further confirmation cf the sricid"
theory was tho discovery on the sill of
the window of tho prints Of II woman;
boot heel The officers cf tho boat he
heve that she stepped from the sill of
her window to the rail Of the boat an.l
then jumped into the water In thr
night such an action would rot he oh
served in that part Of the boat and the
splash would not be noticed. inquiry
among the passengers fails to reveal
that any unusual sound CT outcry was
heard during the night
Her checrfulness was noticeable when
she engaged the stateroom. and there
was nothing about her actions at that
time which indicated that she contem-
plated suicide.