Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-03-28
IDENTIFIED BY UNCLE
NAME OF GIRL WHO COMMITTED
SUICIDE DISCLOSED.
Naomi Yates, Stepdaughter Of Albert
Francis, and Pupil in the
Dent School.

The name of the girl who committed sui
eide yesterday by drowning in the canal, as
stated in yesterdays Star, has been ascer-
tanned to be Naomi Yates, the name N.
Francis which was written on an envelope
found in her coat pocket being her adopted
name. Her stepfather, Albert Francis, lives
at 164 9Th street southeast. Naomi, who
was sixteen years of age, was pupil at the
Dent School. She did not go to school yes
terday, and when she failed to appear at
home during the noon recess her mother
and stepfather became uneasy. They made
inquiries about her, only to find that she
had not been at school. 1t is stated the
child had been away from home on prior
occasions, and her parents thought she
had gone to the home of relatives. Late
yesterday afternoon, however, they learned
of the suicide.
1t is stated that about two weeks ago
Naomi threatened she would end her life
by throwing herself in front of street
car. At that time, 1t is said, she remained
at the home of a friend over night, and In
the morning she told the latter she had 8
cents in her pocket
I'm going as far as the cents will take
me-" she said land then I'm going to
throw myself in front Of street car"
Friend Gives Counsel.
The friend of the child hardly thought
she meant tc take her life, but she talked
to her about the wrong she would do by
committing such an act and Naomi went
home instead of taking her proposed last
car ride. Naomi was devout member
of the Sunday school at the Second Bap-
fist Church and was looked upon as being
one of the best Bible scholars in the school
The envelopes found in her coat pocket she
had been given by the church people to get
filled for a Boston charity. She suffered
from an affection of the hip, and her all
frnn
1t is said that she had arranged to attend
dance and that this was not looked upon
with favor by some of her relatives AS
stated yesterday. letter was torn in small
pieces by the girl just before she leaped
from the bank of the canal.
Contents of Letter.
The Georgetown police last night put to-
gether enough of the letter to enable them
to read:
My Dear Grille: am sorry my little girl
has become tired of serving kind and low
ing Savior and that she is serving his
enemy 1 am hoping that you will change
your mind about going to the dance. Am
sorry that you and Ada are not on the best
of terms. but l am not surprised. You were
too thick.
Now, dearie, of course am not going to
scold you. Won't you give up everything
and look to Jesus? You're grieving him
far more than
II have given my best energies to help
you to be a girl pleasing in Gods sight.
Won't you come back? l say won't you
come back, because, dearie, you have wan
dered away. Hoping yet to see my little
girl bright and happy Christian, l am,
with lots of love and kisses, your aunt
NET"
The letter that was destroyed by Miss
Yates was not written by her aunt, as was
at first supposed, but by her Sunday school
teacher, Miss Jennette Teachum. AS stated,
the young woman contemplated taking her
life at the time she made the remark about
the cents, and that money she still had
yesterday when she parted with a compan-
ion, after telling her she was going to dis
pose Of the money the same she had
told another friend two weeks ago. When
her stepfather learned yesterday she had
not been in school during the morning he
searched her room and found some writings
left there by her which indicated that she
had been considering the question of sui
eide expressing herself upon the question
in poetry 1t is stated that she had written
messages to friends telling Of her af1ic-
ton and saying there was nothing left in
the world for which she wanted to live.
Harry j. Luskey, uncle of the deceased
read the account of the suicide of the girl
Yesterday afternoon, and later in the day
he went to the morgue and identified the
body Coroner hewitt made an investiga-
ton and gave the necessary certificate of
death Undertaken ]. William Lee took
charge of the body and removed 1t to the
home of the family. 1t is likely that the
funeral will take place tomorrow.