New-York tribune., 1907-08-28
MISS MAGUIRED DROWNED
SUICIDE, SAYS CORONER.
No Traces of Violence Found o"
Body an Lake Hopatcong.
fRv re;egranh 70 The Tribune. J

I.axe Hopatcoug N j. Aug z7-The body of Miss
Agnes Mcguire the Brooklyn school teacher VINO
mysteriousy disappeared Saturday. was
found in the lake here this morning The body mad
the appearance of having been in the water several
days that it is supposed that the young woman
fell into the lake after she left the carriage
OF her cousin either in a moment Of mental aber-
ration terrified by the binding flashes OF light
ming, of which she greatly afraid.
The body found off Nolan's Point by two
members OF Camp Excelsior. William Snyder and
John Threlfall They came upon II by accioeht'
as they We're not among the score OF searchers VINO
were out looking for the body this morning When
they the body floating about two hundred
yards from shore they called out and attracted
the attention of James r. Chrystie the shore
The body was towed In. and Chrystie waded out into
the shallow water and assisted the other men to
get II ashore.
Coroner George Kitchens sent for.
and about half-past twelve he arrived the scene
with DR.. Domingo Sabater. who at made an
examination of the body. This failed to reveal any
traces of bruises, fngermarks other evidence
of brutality of sort The only piece OF clothing
disarranged was the outer skirt, which was miss
ing. The coroner accounted for this by saying the
body had swollen to loosen the fastenngs
and tie skirt dropped off He finally gave verdict
OF death by drowning. and said he thought the
young woman had committed suicide
He did not have anything 10 say about the prob
able of the act but said he thought that it
most improbable that the girl could have
wandered into the water accidentally under the in
huence the fright caused by the lightning. Dis
cussion this point is rife among those who
are familiar with There many who.
knowing the fear of the girl in a thunderstorm.
believe that she wandered away from the wagon
in attempt find shelter. After wandering
about they think she fell off of the railroad en-
bankment into the deep water of the channel
where any one would have drowned unless he We're
excellent swimmer.
After the examination the coroner decided that
an inquest would not be necessary. and gave per
mission for the removal OF the body. 1t was taken
TO an undertaking establishment. where services
were held before the body was taken to the home
in Brooklyn tonight. The girls relatives were in
formed as soon as the body was found and came
at once to take charge. The Rev. J. Gearhart
pastor Of ST. Mary's Roman Catholic Church.
oficiated. and assisted by the Rev. Paul T.
Carew, pastor of the Church of the Sacred Heart
The Rev. John A. Duggins, pastor of St Michaei's
Church Jersey City. formerly the pastor of
the dead girl also took part in the services The
funeral will take place on Thursday at St
Stephens Church. in Brooklyn and the body will
be buried in Calvary Cemetery.
The body found after scores Of persons had
secured the woods. thinking that Miss Mcguire
might possibly be lost in the thick forest the
lake. When Il was known that the body had been
found large crowd. made up of campers and
searchers. rushed to the scene.
The finding OF the body and the subsequent de-
veloprnents go only short way toward explain
ing how the girl could have disappeared On
Saturday night Miss Mcguire and her cousin
Charles Mcguire of Dover, drove TO the lake in a
buggy to visit some friends at Camp Look Who's
Here. and about to start home again when
the storm broke Mcguire left his cousin in the
buggy while he TO the cottage by TO get IA
suit that he had left there. The only person
who saw the young woman after her cousin left
her alone was Mrs. Lochman. who occupies cot
tage where the buggy standing, and who
10 her window in time to her get out of
the buggy and stand by its side. though not
resolved what TO do a fash OF lightning revealed
her standing there. and then she gone. From
that time until the body found this morning
she not seen, far the authorities know.
Various reports have come from Miss Maguires
family about her I'll health and il is said that at
times she to be watched closely. She said
to be of a decidedly nervous temperament and at
all times excitable. This report has led 10 the
theory that In moment of mental stress she wan
dered from the buggy and deliberately threw her
self into the channel along the embankment.
That there was a love affair in the girls life at
time has been revealed. but there IS no reason
TO connect this with her death Two years ago it
is said that she fell in love with young man and
they became engaged. Owing differences in
lgion. il is said. the engagement was broken. and
later the man married another The father
would say whether he believed this affair had
anything to do with the girls breakdown.
Much credence, however IS given here to the
theory that girl simply became nervous be
cause of the storm and ran. In her unreasoning
fear. believing that she would reach shelter. In
this way she must have gone nearly d quarter of
mile before she tumbled into the lake. Within
stones throw Of the place from where she disap
peareG there were q least hundred campers.
The cousin asserts that not more than five minutes
elapsed from the time he left the buggy until he
returned. There were no footprints Of any sort
about the wagon except those of the man who
left it.
acvc Cop rrEuTENANT,o DISCuapEE