The Clarksburg telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1874-1926, 1908-10-22
Acid Is
Taken by
Mrs. Ash
To Shuttle OF This Mortal
Coil to Keep Lover
Out of Trouble.

Out of Trouble.
Mrs. Stella Ash. OF Lumberport. at
tempted to commit suicide in the
county jail Thursday night as Magis-
trate Harry Gordon and constables
were placing her in cell as s,ls-
pected lunatic. She drank part OF:
the contents OF two ounce bottle Of
carbolic acid. but, after three doctors
had worked with her for several
hours and sent her to a hospital. she
had fair chances for recovery.
1t is believed the woman's attempt
to end her life was caused by de-
mentia. She had threatened for sew
eral days to kill herself. but no one
took her words seriously until Thurs
day when both her strange talk and
actions caused officers to watch her.
Thursday night between and 10
O'Clock Mrs. Ash went to the Waldo
hotel. Going to the ladies parlor on
the second floor. she sat down ana
wrote the following note and sent it
down to the clerks desk:
II have taken 9 OF. OF carbolic acid
to end my life. Leo CAM gave ME
trouble and is the whole cause Of IT.
all. but don't do anything with him
! love him and am dieing to save MIN
from being punished.
Send me to Vega Borgess.. Lum.
berport, w. Va.
Goodbye to one and all. Goodbye
to everybody.
"sTELLA ASH"
Hotel clerks Immediately ran up
to the parlor and found the woman
there, but she did not appear to have
taken any poison although she insist
ed that she had taken something that
would kill her before morning. Mag
istrate Gordon and constables were
telephoned for and they arrived there
soon afterward and took the woman
from the custody of Messrs. B. H.
Post and George Linger, who were
guarding her, and took her to the
magistrates Office.
AT that place Mrs. Ash kept in
sisting that she had taken some poi
son and a physician was sent for. He
made an examination but said that
the woman had taken nothing that
would hurt her. The officers, believ-
ing the woman's mind to be affected,
proceeded to the county jail with her
to lock her up as suspected luna
tic. Before leaving, the pockets of
her clothing and handbag she car
ried were searched to see that she
had no poison about her, hut none
was found.
Arriving at the jail, the officers
started to place the woman in a cell.
A cell door was thrown open and the
woman stepped inside, about two OF
three steps ahead of Mr.. Gordon.
With her back turned to him. she
suddenly pulled small bottle of car
bolic acid from the bosom OF her
dress, raised it to her lips and began
drinking 1t. Mr.. Gordon saw her
place the hottie to her lips and inn
uISuIaISIs Alu0V Il Slon Aol ~ hHOSn-
ing 1t out of her hand and splitting
part of the contents upon himself
and on the floor. The woman's
mouth turned white and it was seen
that she had gulped some of the acid
down her throat. She had drunk
about third OF the bottles contests.
Doctors were hurriedly sent for
and after various emitis had been ad-
ministered, stomach pump was
used. At O'Clock the woman's con-
dition was such that she could be
taken to a hospital and an ambu-
lance was called and she was taken
to the Kessler institution. Mr. Cor
don's hands were slightly scared by
the acid that spilled upon him.
Mrs. Ash swore out warrant for
Leo GAM in Magistrate Gordon's
court last Friday. charging him with
having had improper relations with
her on September "a. but she with
drew the warrant just before the case
was called for trial.