The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-06-15
WANTED TO DIE.
Clara Risdon Saved by Prompt-
ness of Physician.
Would Have Taken Two Ounces
of Carb0lic Acid.
DISAPPOINTED INLOEE
George Miller, Married, PrOmis.
ed Her a Home.
Young Woman Found at Oak
land School House.

II have never loved but one man
and he proved false to me. 1 cannot
live without him so I must die. My
people are John Risdon, telephone
No. 1927 Auburn. They will find my
trunk at the Santa Fe depot. My
suit case at 502 East Fifth.
CLARA RISDON."
The above note was being written
by the signer, a young woman %
years of age, behind the Oakland
school house, east of Oakland this
morning about $3.50 when DR.. H. H.
Keith, coroner, drove up in his auto
mobile. Beside the woman was a bot
tie of carbolic acid and If the coron-
er had been on the scene few min
utes later the woman would undoubt-
eddy have taken the contents of the
two ounce bottle.
The attempted suicide was thwart-
ed in the nick of time and the young
woman was brought to the city in
the automobile and taken to the Prov
ident association, where she is now
in the hands of the officers-a ner-
vous wreck, sobbing as if her heart
would break and declaring that the
man whom she had trusted and loved
twas untrue and disloyal to her.
About nine o'clock this morning
some small boys were playing in the
pasture near the school District No.
Sc when they saw the woman in the
coal shed behind the school building.
They also saw the bottle and the pa
per on which she was writing. Fright
ened at such a strange sight they ran
to the road when they found Nick
Chiles driving east from the city. They
told him of the case and he telephon-
ed to DR.. Keith at once. The fast
drive probably saved the life of the
girl.
1t seems that Clara Rfsdon has
been working at the Ladies Exchange
restaurant for the last few months
For about two weeks she has been re-
ceiving the attentions of George Mil
Ter, a young man living at the corner
of Fifth and Monroe streets. He took
her to VineWood, to the shows and to
everything of any amusement in the
city. She fell in love with him at once
and last evening the couple had ar
ranged to go to Kansas City and be
married. She had packed her trunk
and it was taken to the Santa Fe de-
pot She then took her suitcase and
went to the house of the young man
to meet him and go on her way. In
stead of meeting the lover, she was
met by his wife, who asked for an ex-
PLANTATION of the case. Miss Risdon
told her what was going on and asked
for what reason she wished the infor-
nation. Mrs. Miller then told her
that she had been married to the said
George Miller for some time. Miller
then appeared on the scene and ad-
mitted that he was married and had
just been having fun with the girl.
According to Miss Risdon's story she
left her suit case at the home of her
lover and with her eyes blinded with
tears she started to Walk-not knowing
where she was going. At last she APP
peared before the drug store owned
by w. H. Wilson at Ala East Fourth
ard here she purchased a two ounce
bottle of carbolic acid and went on her
way. She first went to the river but
decided that she had rather write a
rote before ending her life. This morn
irg she arrived at the Oakland school
house and sat down to take her poison
and write the note. The note was
scraWled with a broken pencil on the
back of some examination papers used
in the school room. It was written as
above. When found she was writing
the address over again. She had been
walking all night long and was worn
out with nervousness, grief and ex-
haustion when found by the coroner
this morning.
When speaking to a State Journal
reporter this morning Miss Risdon
said:
81 had asked George many times if
he was married. He had always said
no. I then asked him who the woman
she was not his legal wife. His own
ried and 1 believed them. l loved him
Min. But he has been false and ]