The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-03-27
Husband of Mrs. CuIbertson Admits That His Wife
 Killed Herself
FACTS DISPROVE FIRST
 BELIEF OF FOUL MURDER
Letters Left By Dead Woman Prove Her to Have Been a Strange Char acter and to Have Tried
 Suicide Before.

Vincennes, Ind. March 26.-Mrs. Jessie Lee Overton Culbertson, woman of mys- tery, suicide bride of three months, was not murdered, but self-slain. There is no doubt. Her husband tearfully &C., knowledged today that their suspicious that she was killed at the instigation of another woman for jealous revenge were unfounded. The body of a miniature skeleton which had been attached to the skull found by Mrs. Culbertson when she was discovered gagged in the shed near her home last Wednesday after swallowing carbolic acid was picked up late today near the scene of the tragedy. It lay concealed beneath a pile of de- bris, where the disheartened girl had placed it after she removed the head and attached it to the threatening letter which she thought would lead the authorities to believe she was murdered for revenge. Positive proof that the suicide wrote the anonymous threatening letters to herself has also been established. The husband and his parents late today silent ly yielded to the revelation that there had been no murder committed.
 But" said Culbertson, q wish Mrs. Longwell in Chicago would write an alibi so that I would be satisfied that she has been cleared of suspicion"
 It was Mrs, Etta Longwell, 7OS Madi- son street, Chicago. formerly of Vim cennes, whom the Culbertsons and Joshua Brazelton, the step-father oe the young husband, had been led to suspect
 T cannot understand why Jessie should kill herself. She never would tell me about her past, except in a general way said her husband.
 Letter to Husband.
 A letter written her husband last sum mer is cited as proof of her dolorous state of mind:
 My Dear Russell:-Dazed, mystifed, well, yes. far more than l can now ex- press. Think, dear. what you have done l awaited your letter with happy antici- patton, and, oh the stab it contained. cannot recover from it as yet My dear, why did you hurt me so? 1 cannot be- lieve you meant to. You were not your self. Your anxiety and watchfuness for your mother has caused you to miscon- strue my letter.
 When you have rested sufficiently, read il, dear, and see if you can't read be- tween the lines that which l dare not put into words. Dear, 1 could not trust you quite, and pride asserted itself, and 1 could not reveal my happy thoughts. not even to you, could not wear my heart on my sleeve, as it were. l hate weak, sim pering people, but love battle when hard est fought, and you and 1 have had hard struggle l, too, have fought against the dictates of my heart Don't think don't know your struggle also There is coldness all through your letter that hurts more than you could ever know. Don't you know me we'll enough to know that if your expressions were all in vain that l would not bother about you; in fact not make an effort to write you. though 1 take my much-needed rest in which to do so? You know I would not it is not my nature to deceive myself or others. l trust l am above that act. Dear, don't ever become an unwilling slave to anyone. 1t must be a free and uncondi- tional surrender to satisfy the longings of my heart 1 think well of all you say in your last letter, while there is yet ! time to retrieve. This is the finish know you did not like the influence l ex- erted over you, and now, dear you are sorry-sorry 1t has ever been. I think l understand SO Am | not right? It was what l thought, the non-existence of belief and trust, that caused me to take frmer hold on myself at times and forced back the thought that at times would assert itself in spite of all my strategy. l trust you will understand this letter. It is possible you are sorry and wish to retract all that you have said Do you, Russell? Mind, nothing but the truth will suffice. I was very sorry and envious if you were disappointed, sorry for both parties concerned, and very en- vious of the true one, because you could find happiness if you so desired. How could you misunderstood? I hasten to fin- ish this, because l want you to get it to- morrow. Glad your mother is improving. Must quit now. The doctor Is coming. Your sad little girl, LESSEE
 There is much that is unexplained in the letter, but shows that the girl was worried. Who she meant when she spoke of the true one Culbertson says he does not know.
 we are through with the case,' said Chief of Police Evans tonight, and the coroner may now conclude the inquest"
 Mystery In Life.
 There has been much mystery con- nected with Jessie Culbersons life ever since she married three months ago. Be- cause of the anonymous threats the po- lice have been watching the house and no threatening letters have been received since the vigil began about a week ago.
 Mrs. Culberson often spoke of brother, a Doctor Overton, who she said resided in Texas He has not yet been located, but his whereabouts the police expect to learn today. Chief of Police Evans. after conference with Coroner Beckes this morning, declared that there was no longer any evidence that the woman was murdered. Coronoer Beckes, when he learned that the woman suspected of implication in the crime had been found in Chicago said he was ready to pro- ceed with the inquest. It was resumed at once That Mrs. Culbertson attempted on a previous occasion to take her life has been reported to the police. Before her marriage to Culbertson she cut an artery in her left arm. Dr. H. w. Held who knew her as nurse. was summoned to attend her.
 "What did you do that for?'' the doctor asked when he saw the patient
 "Oh. it was an accident" she replied; CT did it with the scissors"