The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1909-04-07
DIED FOR LOVE
Four Suicides Grow Out of One
Forbidden Match
The GIRL LEADS OFF
Her Fiance Followed Suit, and
Another Brother, a Secret Admirer
Of the Girl, Was the Third, an
Old Friend the Last Victim in the
Tragedy.

Tragedy.
St. Louis, April 5.-A chain of
suicides has strangely arisen from
the love match of John Nichols and
Miss Beryl somers, of Benton, III.
There have been four self-inficted
deaths since March and the super
stitious people of the village which
is just across the Mississippi river
from St. Louis, are predicting an
epidemic of self-murder. This
strang array of deaths are as fol-
lows:
Miss Beryl Somers, fanee of John
Nichols, and beloved in secret by
Robert Nichols, his brother, COM
mitted suicide at Benton, Ill, on
the afternoon Of March 8.
John Nichols, in frenzy of des-
pair, killed himself in sight of the
Somers home, two days later.
Robert Nichols, who has nourished
his passion in secret lest revela-
ton might disturb the happiness Of
the brother and sweetheart, killed
himself at his mothers home in
Madison, Ill, March IA.
c. p. Smith, friend of the broth
ers and the girl they had loved,
the first to put supporting arm
under the head of Robert Nichols,
when he fell dying, ended his own
life by drinking carbolic acid "a
hours later.
1t was last summer when Robert,
making visit to each Of his broth
ers, gnally reached the country home
of his brother, John, near Benton.
The brother introduced him to Miss
Somers, the daughter Of a neighbor,
and Robert was greatly Impressed
with her. But it was not until he
had fallen violently in love with the
girl that he discovered her betrothal
TO his older brother. Loyal to John,
be resigned her at once and return
ed home to his parents.
Several weeks ago, just as John
and Miss Nichols had perfected ar
rangesents for their wedding, an
obstacle IN the form of parental OBJ
lection appeared. The girls father
forbade the wedding and ordered her
to break the engagement. He would
assign no other reason than he con-
s1dered her too young to marry.
One evening, after a stolen inter-
view with her lover, the girl went to
her room in very detected mood.
She wrote Nichols tender note,
then shot and killed herself with
her fathers revolver. Two days
later friends Of John Nichols found
a bottle Of carbolic acid in his room
They hid the poison and kept him
under surveillance. But the next
afternoon Nichols went to a little
grove, where he had often met Miss
Somers during their coursthip, and
killed himself with shot from
revolver.
In his pocket was found note to
his brother, Robert, at Madison. Af-
ter he had read the note the young
er brother grew despondent. He
bought a bottle of carbolic acid, and
with it went into room at his home
where some guests Of the family
we're sitting. He drank the acid,
threw the bottle down and ran out
into the street.
At the gate he almost ran over
c. R. Smith. Smith, man about so
years old, had been Roberts conf
dant and had sympathized with him
in his trouble from boyhood. The
old man caught the boy as he fell
TO the street. He followed him into
a physicians Office and watched himt
breathe his last.
Smith was foreman Of a large
manufacturing plant, and had never
known a days sickness. But the
aext morning he said he was III and
would not go to the mills. He
walked about his home in an alb
stracted manner. About noon ne
went to the home Of neighbor and
asked for a drink of water. When
the water was brought him he
poured the contents Of three-ounce
bottle Of carbolic acid into it and
drank the mixture. Just % hours
TO the minute after the death OF
| Robert Nichols, Smith died.