The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1907-12-17
BEAUTIFUL AND MYSTERIOUS
WOMAN SUICIDES IN GARY
Stranger Who Gives Her Name as Katherine Smith,
Kills Herself After Vain Search for Man
Who Betrayed Her.
Especial to Lake County Timesl

Sd
Gary. Ind, Dec. 17.-The climax in
terrible life tragedy occurred in this
city last evening when Mrs Katherine
Smith Of Stubenville O., shot herself
In a most dramatic manner on Fifth
avenue. near Broadway. after she had
come all the way to Gary to wreak
vengeance on an unknown man whom
she claimed had brought about the
separation Of herself and husband.
AS fragments Of information came
to the police from various sources they
have been put together. until at last the
sad story of the downfall of a beauti-
ful and cultured woman lacks but a
Few facts to make it complete.
Three days ago a fine looking woman
OF about 80 years Of age appeared in
Gary and seemed intent upon locating
some friend Of hers. 1t is even said
she went from house to house describ-
ing the man she seemed so anxious to
locate.
Gets CIew Too Late.
Yesterday she succeeded in tracing
him to a certain residence in Gary
where she was informed he had been
staying. Here she was informed that
he had left the city three days ago
and that his whereabouts were not
known
The woman. who gave her name as
Mrs. Katherine Smith, suggested that
she remain and wait for him, but she
was persuaded that as the time of his
return was so uncertain it would per-
haps be best that she return
Mrs. Smith seemed very despondens
over her failure to locate the man for
whom she had been searching for so
long, and shortly after leaving the
house She drew a revolver and shot
herself in the breast
At the time all Of the police off-
GERS were in the station receiving their
instructions from the chief of police.
The sound of the shot was muffled and
they did not hear it. However. some
one who happened to be passing at the
ti3Se heard the shot and seeing the wo-
nj a fall, rushed to the police station
ed informed the police of the suicide.
Q "He Ruined Me-
TIN woman was taken at once to
Mercy hospital. accompanied by Chief
Martin who asked her three times
what caused her to shoot herself. In
each case her answer was: He ruined
me-
The suicide occurred at about 1880
IN the evening and the woman died at
midnight, the bullet having entered
her body just below the heart and
passed down into her stomach.
The gun with which she was shot
was a Hopkins and Allen .3S caliber
revolver. IN addition to the cartridges
which were In the gun, there were ten
others in her possession. and this leads
the police to the belief that she came
to Gary with the deliberate intention
of killing the man VINO had brought
about her ruin and then committing
suicide.
The suicide is survived by two chill
dren who are now living with their
father in Stubenville, o. All efforts to
determine the identity of the man for
whom the unfortunate woman had been
looking have been fruitless. as the
women in the house in which he roomed
did not remember his name
In fact. there is an air of mystery
about him which has not yet been dis
PEELED. 1t seems from what has already
been discovered that he must have
heard OF the presence Of Mrs. Smith in
Gary and, fearing her revenge. decided
TO leave town and escape just the fate
he seems to have avoided.