The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1909-07-13
Miss Elsie Hunts Body May Not be
Brought to Shore for Several
Days 70 Come
Perhaps
DETAILS OF THE AFFAIR
Girl Had Quite ! Sum Of Money Saved
up and this She Took, To
sether Win Other Small
Articles.

| The body of Miss Elsie Hunt, who
committed suicide IN IF. Madison sun
dav afternoon. has not yet been
brought to light but river men along
the river In this vicinity are keeping a
close lookout and expect to recover ii
as soon as the body fises to the sur
face. The Fl Madison Democrat
contains the following account OF the
drowning:
Miss Elsie Hunt. daughter OF Mrs.
Carrie Hunt of 424 Sec.,nd street,
committed suicide Sunday afternoon
about 1890 o'clock by jumping into
the Mississippi river from the Santa
Fe bridge.
The people living in the vicinity OF
the Hunt home were all at home at
that hour and the report rapidly
spread that Miss Elsie Hunt had
drowned herself. Although most ev-
eryone in the community had heard
Miss Hunt says that she wanted TO die
or that she would kill herself, the
news of fine deplorabIe deed was
shock to all and only a few minute
later many of the friends OF the fam
lily had gathered at the riverside, but
there was nothing TO be done There
was not boat anywhere near at the
time and is was evidently useless to
make an attempt to recover the body.
1t having gone down In the channel
between the first and second draw
piers, where the water Is probably
thirty feet deep.
Miss Hunt was almost 81 years old
and has been an epileptic most all
her life. The past year or two her
condition was evidently getting worse
and she frequently talked Of self-de-
struction. She was alone with her
mother Sunday at room, the other
members of the family not having yet
arrived home from church. About
that time she told her mother that
she was going to the river and drown
herself. Her mother demonstrated,
but the girl seemed determined and
started out - the house and toward
the river Her mother followed her
and before she was aware took hold
of her arm and led her back home.
She SILL insisted that she would
drown herself and her mother tried
to reason with her, but with no avail.
Mrs. Hunt stepped into the next room
for a minute. endeavoring all the
time to keep track of her. She had
no more than got inside the next
room when the screen door at the
rear of the house slammed. Mrs.
Hunt returned as quickly as possible.
but the girl had gone out into the al
ley and was running toward the
bridge as fast AS possible.
| Mrs. Hunt ran after her, calling to
nefghbors as she went. Several took
/ up the chase, but the girl had gained
such start that none of them could
catch her, the distance to the bridge
being about four blocks. The girl
paid the tollman and passed onto the
bridge on the west eide OF the run. A
moment later Mrs Hunt came in
sight and shouted to the tollman. Mr..
j. f. McCune, but he being quite deaf
could not hear or understand her I'M
til she reached the dollhouse. Both
then chased after the girl and as they
came in sight of her she climbed up
on the high railing OF the bridge and
before their eyes 1eaped into the wa.
ter below, distance of about thirty
I feet. Several people saw the girl
make the leap and sink below the
surface. Those nearest the scene of
the tragedy say that she never rose
to the surface again after disappear
| ing.
While the victim OF her own de.
struction has been charge on the
hands of her AGED mother .pr MANY
years giving her no end OF troub,.
the mode of her taking away is a
sad shock and the heartfelt symp~Hy
Of all is extended to the nome.
Miss HINT was horn at ruo;s.sc-d.
III. When two years and three
months old the family lived at Rock.
ford, Iowa and she has had convul-
sions ever since that time, caused by
being struck by railroad engine.
She had commissions for several hours
following this accident and convu,.
sions continued at intervals ever since
that time. She is survived bv her
mother and the following brothers
and sisters: Mrs. Frances Largent.
r. T Hunt and Miss Hazel Hunt. all
of this city, Fred B. Hunt of Marco
lire, Mo, and R. NJ. Hunt of Chicago,
Ill
R.T.Hunt. brother. has offered
$50 reward for the recovery OF the
body He went down the river in
launch this morning, notifying all,
fishermen and Others living along the
river and It Is possible that the body
will be recovered in a day or two.
The girl had quite a little sum Of
money saved UP, and she took 1t,
along with some other small articles,
with her.