The Washington herald., 1907-12-07

Il
Did the woman's instinct Of repugnance
for any sort Of Self-sunering drive Mrs
Clara Bloodgood 10 choose a pistol shot
through the brain in Baltimore hotel
in preference to death by poison in this
city?
Did she find at the last hour Of her
stay in this city that suicide by the latter
method, accompanied. as she knew. by
several minutes of the most acute pain,
was too much for even her determination?
With TWO performances before her on
Saturday, in which for a time her mind
was enrapt. did she plan and think Of
another solution until it was too late to
find any way but the dreaded one OF
poison?
All these suggested theories seem posi-
bic, in the light Of a disclosure made
yesterday to The Washington Herald by
young woman who knew Mrs Blood
good. and who saw her for the last time
Saturday afternoon in drug store near
the Belasco Theater.
Near the Soda Fountain.
According to this woman. shortly be-
fore . o'clock she entered this drug store
and noticed Mrs. Bioodgood standing near
the soda fountain. She had intended
speaking to the actress, but her attention
was diverted before she reached the
fountain. and she stopped.
Mrs Bloodgood, she said. was in an
extremity OF nervousness. She stood tap
ping. one foot continuously on the floor
of store while against the marble of
the counter her soda glass beat a rapid
and unceasing tattoo
But this was not all This woman was
near enough 20 hear Mrs BloodEood di-
rect all sorts OF questions at the head
clerk, who was waiting upon her These
questions concerned the manner in which
TO take certain powder
Mrs. Bloodgood wanted 70 know IL II
could be taken in hot water best or best
in cold. She wanted 70 know many other
things about it, but not once did she
mention rs name so that Just what kind
Of powder il was is not known. For
ten minutes, however. she remained in
the store asking questions. tapping merry
ously with her foot on the floor and beat
ing her glass against the counter
The proprietor Of the drug store said
last night he did not remember serving
any woman answering the description OF
Mrs. BloodgOod Saturday afternoon. He
said there are a great many young
women in his store each Saturday. and
he diG not remember any one in par
tiCular He declared no poison was sold
that day. so far as he knew. All sales OF
poison, he said. would have been entered
on the book. as required by law.
She Wanted Information.
But it is more than possible tbat Mrs.
BiOodgood bought poison elsewhere. The
questions she asked. il is believed. were
only FOR the purpose of understanding
the potency OF the drug. which she, no
doubt. had in her possession.
When she left Washington Sunday
night. il seems probable now, she had
abandoned the idea OF poison. perhaps
through conversations with those who
told her of its painful effect. and had al
ready decided upon a shot as the best
method of ending her life.
And so when she got 10 Baltimore. and
when the first opportunity came to her.
she went out with the determination TO
find way Of dying that would not be
so fraught with pain. She then pur-
chased a revolver The very fact that
the first one she purchased did not suit
seems to indicate that even in her prep
aration for death she was mindful Of the
small things
Learned How TO DIE.
Perhaps the most striking fact in the
suicide of Mrs. Bloodgood is the apparent
courageousness which preceded the act:
the same spirit Of willingness to learn
which had lifted her to a high pinnacle
on the American stage in comparatively
short time.
Many women have committed suicide be-
fore, possibly many have thought about
il long before the hour when they COM
mitted the act; but Mrs. Bloodgood, with
the same determination that had made
for her success on the stage. planned il
all out beforehand and practiced with the
weapon with which she was 20 take away
her own life.
With the idea evidently firmly fixed
in her mind, she proceeded to one of the
sporting goods stores the very day on
which her company landed here-Monday.
There she purchased a revolver.
On Tuesday Mrs. BlOOdgoOd telephoned
the store in which she made this first
purchase and asked for an explanation
of the working mechanism Of the revolt
yer. When this explanation was given
she rang of. The next day she pro-
ceeded TO the same store. looked at sew
raj Colt revolvers-she had before pur-
chased a Smith & Wesson 32-caliber-
and bought a gun similar to the one
bought on Monday afternoon.
While it has been deemed possible that
the first revolver was taken from her by
members Of her company, as none of
them would confirm this report. it seems
probable that the safety device on the
Smith & Wesson bothered her. When she
found that a Colt revolver. for some rea-
son. did not suit. she took the second
Smith & Wesson
Exhibits Rare Nerve.
But the remarkable nerve Of this great
actress was manifested also i'm the other
preparations she had made for death In !
addition TO the revolvers she had with