The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-06-02
WANTED TO Die.
Juanita Lewis, Disappointed in
Love, Welcomes Death.
Found That Object OF Her AZ
lection Was Married.
DRANK CHLOROFORM.
Staggered Helplessly Down East
Seventh Street.
Found by a Doctor and Life Is
Saved.
DRANK CHLOROFORM.

Dependency over the discovery that
her lover, Fred Stephenson, was a mar
RED man and the father of a year old
paov' led Juanita Lewis. pretty girl of
tWenty-three years, to attempt suicide
last night between eight and nine
O'Clock. The fact that DIR. ]. M Amis,
happened near the girl while on his
way home. saved her life.
The girl had been rooming in the fiat
east Of the fire station. and had left
her room about eight o'clock last night.
She stopped at Gatlin's drug store
where she purchased an ounce bottle
Of chloroform, and then started on her
way home. The attention of the fire.
men who were sitting in front of the
station, was first called to her, when
she stopped for several minutes at the
southwest corner of Seventh and
quincy. She crossed the street, and
just In front of the place where the
party or hremen were sitting, she stag
gered as drunk person would do One
of the firemen caught her as she start
ca ego TO ran and noticed an odor. al
though he did not recognize what it
was, more than the fact that he said
he was familiar with the smell of
whisky and that it was not that The
girl exclaimed Pm all right now,' and
then she started on.
",
and the firemen called his attention to
the girl Later DIR. Amfs said he
thought at first that the girl was SIM
ply intoxicated and thought the fire
men were trying to joke with him.
He paid but little attention to their
remarks and proceeded on his way,
which was Immediately behind the girl.
When he started to pass the girl she
tainted and fell in his arms, but re-
vived and said that she was all right.
mic h
form odor then and helped her to her
feet, still thinking she was drunk He
started on but looked back and saw
that the girl had fallen on the embank-
ment leading up to the lawn. Then
he made an examination and found
that she was under the influence of
the drug.
One of the members of the fire de-
partment saw the girl fall and ran
down to help her to her feet. They
Mr.. and Mrs. Scheid in the fiat just
east of the Auditorium. An antidote
was administered hypodermically and
an emetic was given, through the
agency of which she was resuscitated.
The story leading up to the attempt
at suicide dates back several months
Her lover Fred Stephenson, came here
from Oklahoma City about the first Of
the year and secured employment on
the Mail & Breeze press working there
ternoon to midnight. With him came
a pretty dark haired girl of about %
years, who secured work as a waitress
at restaurant. After working there
q month or two she became enamoured
with the cook. and later the two We're
married.
After this marriage, Stephenson
sought another object for his affec-
lions, and Miss Lewis. who was en-
ployed at the Capital at a salary of 80
cents a day. fell an easy victim. The
two spent considerable time with each
other, and during the times when they
were not working were seen in each
others company. Miss Lewis is a
young lady whose parents are said to
be dead, and who has been in Topeka
for some time. This was her first love
affair.
In the meantime Stephenson had
his wife and child in Oklahoma. A
few days ago he received a letter
from his. wife saying that she would
join him here in a few days. Sheph-
enson then told Miss Lewis that his
wife was coming in a few days. He
did so in a light, jocular manner, and
she passed it off as a joke. Tuesday,
Stephenson failed to keep a date with
Miss Lewis, and she called him up at
work to ascertain the real reason, only
to find that the joke about his wife
was too real. The attempt at suicide
followed When DIR. Amis carried her
bag, an ounce bottle of chloroform,
out of which about three and one
half drachms had been taken.
Miss Lewis is a pretty girl with a
clear complexion and a large amount
of auburn hair.
years old. He is best described as