Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-02-12
WOMAN DIES BY Gas
Mrs. Susan H. Yonce, Drug
Victim, Is Suicide.
CLERK FOR GOVERNMENT
Wanted Senator Simmons and Rep
resentative Small Notified.
GAVE HER WILL TO PHYSICIAN
Found Dead With Photograph OF
Children Beside Her-Denied Nor
phine. She Had Abused Doctor.
CLERK FOR GOVERNMENT
GAVE HER WILL TO PHYSICIAN

With photographs Of her two small chill
dren beside her on a folding cot. Mrs.
Susan II. Yonce thirty-nine years o. age.
was found dead this morning in her
room at 1905 Belmont street northwest,
with five gas Jets turned on.
Coroner hewitt was notified After MAX
ing an investigation he gave a certificat e
Of suicide.
Mrs. Yonce. formerly of Beaufort, y. C..
and employed as a clerk in the bureau o!
statistics. Department OF Agriculture. re
tired to her room, on the rear of the sec
ond floor. late last night. After disrobne
she turned OF the light and then again
turned on all five jets. She was found
about $50 o'clock this morning by Mrs.
Charles Jenkins, the landlady. and her
daughter. Mrs. Alice Smith.
Eliza Johnson, colored servant. had,
as usual, called Mrs. Yonce for break
fast this morning about $50 o'clock. Re
ceiving no response. she notified Mrs.
Jenkins.
Women Find Body.
When the two women entered the room
they We're nearly overcome by the fumes
of the gas. They found the door un-
locked, but all the windows had been
closed. They Immediately turned off the
gas and opened the windows. On the
cot was Mrs. Yonce's body still warm,
although life was extinct. DIR. Thomas
Stetson of 900 14th street and DIR. j. r.
Hilton of the Susquehanna apartments.
the woman's physician, were called in.
Policeman Rock of the tenth precinct
arrived a short time afterwSrd and took
charge until the coroner arrived.
Mrs. 1once left a brief note on her
bureau in which she said.
Let Senator Simmons and Representa-.
tive John Small know
The names of Harry and Arthur Mayo
also appeared on the note There was
some other writing which was illegible.
Dr. Hilton stated today that he haC
treated Mrs. Yonce for some time ano
that she had been addicted to the use OF
drugs. The physician said further he IlaG
about 4:30 O'Clock. She had asked him
then to give her morphine, but he re
fused to do so.
She became abusive. the physician says
He advised her to get another doctor.
Mrs. Yonce had chatted with other per
sons in the house last night. After put,
ting on her hat and coat she left about
$50 O'Clock, saying she was going doWr
town. She was not seen to enter the
house later in the night.
Gave Will to Physician.
Mrs. Yonce had been employed in TIT
Department Of Agriculture for severa
years. and for a time was in the census
| Office and the Treasury Department Hel
friends say she was regarded as excep
| tionally Intelligent. She was a gradual.
Of southern college.
A native of North Carolina, she came I,
Washington about ten years ago upon tn,
death of her husband who is said I,
have been preacher. Four children
Mrs. G. w. Jenkins and Brown Yonce O
this city and two younger children, WHIT
reside in Baltimore, survive
1t developed today that Mrs. Yonce hat
written her will. When DR.. Hilton cailet
| to see her yesterday afternoon she handed
him four slips of paper. Thinking the,
contained only some poetry, which wa.
written on one side. he placed them in hi.
pocket.
Upon her death this morning he exam
| ined the writing and found she had made
| a will for the disposition Of her property
| The physician turned the will over t
| the police.
| Mrs. Yonce's relatives have been notified
| No funeral arrangements have as ye
| been made.