Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1910-07-21
COmnit SuiCide?

Can the brain storm be traced to a
physical or an emotional influence?
Physicians and clergymen seem to
agree that with either sex the act can
generally be traced to emotional in
tensity overbalancing the reason. But
at best the explanation is mere sur
mise, for the victim Of the sudden
mania carries his or her secret to the
grave Letters found after the deed is
committed are generally vague, some
times suggesting, but rarely revealing,
the tr1e motive.
For instance, study the postal card
messages left by Minnie X. Wentz, the
twenty-year-old governess, who recent
ly turned from the gentle, reckoning
hand of love to grip the relentless
one of death. To her eldest brother,
she wrote:
"This will, l guess, be the last time
any of you will hear from me. Take
my advice. Don't bluff bluffed and
must pay the penalty with my life. I
was to marry today, but instead 1 die
by my own hand. God bless you and
keep you SAFE"
To her fiance she left this brief mes
sage, unsoftened by one word of en-
dearment for the man she had pro-
fessed to love:
Forgive this deed. There is no
other way for me On the day we were
to be married l do that which costs
me my life"
To her employer, she wrote note
on picture postal card showing the
tombstone of an Italian earthquake
victim, which announced:
II had my mind made up long ago,
but lacked the courage"
This statement seems to contradict
the theory that the impulse was sud-
den, or sprang from an abrupt realiza-
ton of conditions which promised to
prove uncomfortable.
Hard to Find a Reason.
On the surface there was absolutely
no reason for the tragic deed commit
ted by Miss Wentz, writes Anna
Steese Richardson, in the New York
World. She was girl of excellent
health and more than average intel
Hgence, who had given satisfaction as
governess in the home of Eben e.
Whitman, wealthy cotton merchant
with city home on East Thirty
eighth street, New York, and a coun.
try place at Lawrence, L. I. Her In
tended, Ludwig Reichold, is an cleo.
trical engineer, also blest with good
health and bright future. His earn.
ings had gone to furnish the little
home in Port Chester to which he
hoped to take his bride when the
June roses bloomed. And his flancee
had apparently taken great happiness
in helping him select the fittings.
The wedding day was set The fam
fly approved. The bridegroom-to-be
arrived at the home of Miss VENTS
aunt on upper Lexington avenue
armed with a bouquet, in honor of the
pre-arranged trip to the city hall
where the marriage license was to be
issued.
Miss Wentz was not there to meet
him. Young Reichold and the aunt
Mrs. Gensen, sat talking in the parlor
"a dopo tAO gil Qt1u uOt UO0u aDiG
leave her little charges in the Whit
man home. Perhaps the Whitmans
had suddenly decided to go to theil
summer home on Long island. Per
haps-
The afternoon waxed and waned
and not even a telephone message
came to break tbs tension.
Her hance went back to town, ane
telephoned the Whitmans. They were
amazed at the news, for Miss Went,
had left the house as arranged the
afternoon before. Ten hours, twelve
passed and no word came. Quietly the
matter was taken up by the police
but New York seemed to have swal
lowed the girl
One DAY piainciothes man caiiet
at the Gensen home and asked for
photograph of the dead girl Mrs
Gensen remembered that the best like
4 ness was stored In a trunk in th.
basement. She carried lamp t,
make her search. She Unattached tn,