Daily Kennebec journal., 1906-02-21
And Then Jumped From
Steamer After Them.
Tragedy on the Plymouth Dur
ing Monday Night.
The Woman Undoubtedly Mrs. John W.
Walters Of New York.

Fall River, Mass, Feb. 20.-The open
door of a state room which had been
occupied by a woman and three young
children on the trip of the Fall River
Line steamer Plymouth from New
York to this. city early today, led to the
discovery that Mrs. John Waters, the
wife of an insurance agent OF Brook
lyn, n ", had taken the lives of her
three little ones and then committed
suicide. Mrs. Walters apparently had
thrown overheard her three children
and then jumped after them.
Investigation by the attaches Of the
steamer indicated that the tragedy
PROBABLY occurred at about the time
the steamer was passing Point Judith.
between midnight and = of 3 O'Clock
this morning.
The fact that the room was unoccu-
pied was discovered just before the
Plymouth made the Newport landing
and a search of the apartment revealed
tvs letters which the woman had left
for her husband and in which she
asked forgiveness and stated that she
had worried until she feared she would
become insane and that she could not
bear to leave the children.
Articles Of wearing apparel. together
with the other evidence IN the cese,
were placed in the hands of the local
police on the arrival of the steamer
here, Shortly before noon they were
identified by Dwight Brady as belong
Ing to his sister, Mrs Walters, who ap-
pdreptly WAS coming to Fall River to
visit her relatives. including her ia
.,f
the port Of Fall River The relatives
here claimed to be unable to explain
the tragedy beyond the fact of posSi-
Bile unliappincss over causes, the de-
tails of which she had not revealed TO
them.
Mrs. Waters was about 30 years of
age. She was married IL this city about
FIVE years ago. Mr.. Waters having
been a resident of Providence. Il. I.
They had recently moved to Brooklyn
from Chicago. The children who were
with Mrs. Waters included Helen,
AGED 4. Dorothy, two years of age, and
ali infant Of 10 months.
Fall River, Mass. Feb. 2O.-Thc Off
GERS of the steamer Plymouth of the
Fall River Line. found Il part Of a
Womans wearing apparel i'll state
room just after the steamer had left
Newport Tuesday morning together
with 4 note saying that she had thrown
her three children overheard and was
about to follow herself.
The officers upon the arrival Of the
boat here turned the case over to the
local police and pending investigation
declined to give names contained III the
note.
Agent EuShney Of the Fall River
Lin: III this city states that a woman
and three children who We're on the
boat when it LEFT New York, were
missing when she arrived here.
Among the letters left by the woman
was one addressed to John w. Waters,
40 broadway, New York. The woman
who jumped overheard from the
steamer plymouth is undoubtedly Mrs
John WATERS Of Brooklyn. daughter Of
Capt. JAS. Brady. collector of the port
Of Fal! River. She and her husband
hdG only recently removed TO Brooklyn
from Chicago. She is reported as hav-
ing been peculiar and there had been
family troubles. She left several letters
| and a will.
1nt Staferoom occupied by the
woman was No. 12O on the port side
and i was taken in New York under
the name of B. T. Allen. No accurate
description of the woman is available
| according to the boat authorities be-
yUnd the fact that she was about 81
years old and well dressed. The three
children included a girl about eight
and two smaller children believed to
De DOyS. one nursing infant
The letters found apparently were IN
tended for the wOman's husband. one
| asking forgiveness and saying that the
woman had worried so much that she
feared insanity and could not leave the
children. The other was a sort Of last
will as it disposed of the personal prop
| erty of the writer.
Just before the steamer reached
Newport attaches of the boat found
the door OF the Stateroom open and it's
| occupants gone. Scattered about were
articles Of Woman's apparel as well
as those Wnlch had been used in con-
nection with the care of the children.
| Inefe was path robe, 4 cloth bag. a
woman hat ana gloves, several hand
kerchiefs. hat pin and a boat tick
e. from New York to Fall River In \
purse which contained six cents. There
| were also three milk bottles and a glass
| containing quantity of milk.
| Further investigation revealed ,wo
nMssives, ore written on part of an
envelope. the other Oh a piece of wrap
ping paper. The one on the envelope
| read:
"Dear husband-Forgive this trouble
| I have nearly broken my heart Dear
John. forgive me for causing vou +bis