The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1907-01-31
WRITES PITlFUL NOTE
AND ENDS her LIFE
case of Lillian Melton in Ken
lucky Calls to Mind That
Of Grace Brown.
she ENCLOSED A NICKEL
Wished Lover and the Girl He spurned
Her For. Much Happiness, Took
Poison and u Now
Dead.

AiadisOnvlllc Ky. Jan. FIN many re-
tpccis the case OF LILLIAN Melton. who was
buried here after committing suicide be-
cause her sweetheart married another giri.
suggested that OF Grace Brown. OF New
York. whose murder aroused such deep
and sympathetic interest all over the
United States.
Grace Brown was murdered by her
sweetheart at Big Moose lake. lie had
promised TO marry ner and she had even
bought her wedding gown. Jus; before her
death sho wrote several pathetic letters 70
her sweetheart SAYING she had an instinc-
tive feeling she was To- die. Lillian Mel
toms last letter TO her sweetheart contains
n similar statement.
Miss Melton committed suicide In Nor
tonvlllc and her body was brought here
for funeral services and interment In Odd
Fellows cemetery.
Lillian Melton had been receiving at
tcnI.ons from n young man and recently
learned that he was In love with and was
20 marry another g.rl. on learning that
the Ger, mony was Inevitable. Miss Melton,
In her despair. wrote "A final letter 10 him.
Upon reaching Nortonville she went to
the home OF her brother. II. Melton, where
she swallowed the poison she had procured
herr.
Her Pathetic Letter.
Following IL the farewell letter sho wrote
tn her sweetheart before she killed her
self:
otto: Inciosed you will find nickel
which I owe you for having paid on my
ticket the Sunday afternoon l went to the
CAP. Thank you, sincerely.
when arc you and Bcrna TO be mar
RED: soon? OF course. l know you arc
both very, very happy. but only God
lah MI mis-
feel. q. why did you not leave me alone
when you went away from mo before7
why. In Gods name. DID you come back
TO open afrcsh tho old hurt In my heart?
Are YOU going 20 1.-Two at Nortonvllle2 I
want you TO no happy. I have always
wanted that. but l cannot look forward 10
u Efo OF long. endless misery and unhap-
piness You told mo Il Is wrong to take
on0's own life, but you do not stop TO con-
slider that that Same life In more than can
be borne with misery and shame. IL there
Is a heaven 90 DO gained by death. there
certainly Is n hell 10 DO missed.
/ You say you believe that we are all
saved: then 10 seems TO me that instead
| Of wishing for mo TO live on here In tho
unhapp.ncss that you know ] am In you
would not mind my going away 10 moro
perfect happiness and love. At best or
worst, death will at least give mo per-
feet rest. do not think that there In any
happiness In llfo now for me. and SONS
times wonder why. What have I ever done
that YOU should have deliberately set
about, In the way you have, TO wreck my
life and my happiness?
You have never asked anything OF me
/ that have not willing and lovingly grant
/ cd 20 you. I am not sorry OF IT, either.
! except that human nature will have rs
/ way. and grief and misery Will all my
heart
("Better Than Me.")
: Bcrna IS a dear. sweet girl. and she Will
make you happy. She Is better than poor
ne. but she cannot possibly love you any
moro than I 10.
Sometimes / wonder II you ever told me
exactly what you felt and meant ut any
time. IL n terrible thing TO win "A WON
ans heart 10 deceive her from frSt to
last
10 not ask you 90 give up your hap
pinCss not for one minute. You told me
was selfish. but I am not that selfish.
Your happiness means more 90 mo than
my own docs: but n life OF misery cannoi
b. endured such as l Will feel when you
are married. What must ] do7 am
afraid 81 myself for I know I ought not
TO BE- 80 Cowardly as 90 want TO die.
I am going 20 be selfish enough 10 ask
you to give mo q little time. now that YOU
nav. told me. I should like to SEQ you
but not Bcrna. Don't bring her when you
come. I can't bear that yet. And my
darling. for you are mine, and u can't b
helped now. my precious love. hope you
will be- happy. You have my forgiveness
for all the pain and sorrow you have
brought into my life.
God bless you and Bcrna both. and
II lie. .