The Mathews journal. (Mathews C.H. [Court House]) 1903-1937, 1910-09-15
GIRLS SUICIDE
STRL A MYSTERY
Ne Reason Yet Discovered for Self
Destruction Of Young English
Woman at Richmond.

or more impenetrable mystery sur
rounding a death than that becloud-
Ing the suicide of Miss Muriel Keith.
who was killed by car of the Rich
mond-Ashland Electric Line early
Thursday morning, and were IL not
Tor the letter she left few would be-
lieve that her end was due TO suicide.
Friends. as well as the authorities.
have searched unremittingly to find
some reason for her act, but not even
= suggestion OF reason has been
found.
Even now the theory of suicide is
not implicitly and unanimously ac-
cepted by those who live along the
road. and there were a number of
discussions about the affair on the
cars that left Richmond yesterday af-
ternoon.
The girl had walked in the direc-
fion to meet the car and then turned
back toward the Seminary, and had
almost reached its gate when she was
overtaken.
1t IS argued that il she intended to
leap in front or the car she would
have continued in the direction that
would have caused her to meet il.
The most probable theory as to this
- that Miss Keith IL. as appears al
most certain, she committed suicide
after walking some distance to meet
the car. changed her mind and start
ed back TO the Seminary.
Then, when the car drew near her,
All the original intention rushed
through her mind, and. allowing no
other thought TO enter II, she threw
herself across the track.
Could Have Gone Back Home.
Why no one will ever know. Life
and death are the only things
stranger and more inexplicable than
woman.
Miss Keith, il is true, was far away
from home and parents, but that
seems a matter Of choice. and she
could have returned to England at
any time she wished.
Time, instead Of clearing this mys-
terry. seems to complicate il.
Miss Keith reached here on the af-
ternoon OF April 7th and registered at
the Y. w. c. A.
The next day, April sth, she called
upon Mr.. F. W. Baker, general man
ager of the Southern Churchman
and explained that she was an Eng
Iish girl and an absolute stranger in
Richmond and America
Mr.. Baker was favorably impressed
with the young ladys appearance.
She was finely, but modestly,
dressed he said, "and thought she
was beautiful. She told me that she
wished TO remain in Richmond and
at the same time, in a delicate way,
took pains to remind me that she
needed no assistance. 1 gave her a
letter TO Mr.. Wilmer, the British vice
consul here, and that is how their &C
qGaintance began"
1t may be added that two or three
days before the young ladys death
she and her brother had dinner at
Mr. Winners home.
Before she left my office" con-
tinued Mr.. Baker, she said she would
like to insert an advertisement in the
next issue of the Southern Church
man / offered to write it for her.
but she said that If l would give her
a sheet of paper, she would not trou-
bic me further. She sat just oppo-
site me in the chair where you are
now. and without a change or cor
rection wrote this:
WANTED = YOUNG ENGLISHWO-
man OF superior education desires
position as secretary to profess
ssOnal gentleman, or would con-
slider offer from a high-cIass firm.
Thorough knowledge of shorthand
fypeWrtting and office routine. Two
Consul General for Greece, Lon
don. Excellent testimonials. Adj
dress MISS Nj. KEITH, Y. w. c. A.,
Ns5ty.
That" added Mr.. Baker, appear
ed on April 10th. Al answer came
10 this office and was sent to the
Young WoTfln's Christian Association
never saw Miss Keith afterward."
Why Did She Come Here
MI Baker said the girl gave him no
hint as 60 why She had come to
America, and why she did come. is
another puxzling feature of the story
10 the fact that OF recent years her
parents have not been in the affluent
circumstances they enjoyed in former
years
Here, however. she had prospered
in a moderate degree. She had ac-
cumulated some money, not a for
tune, tits true, but sufficient to take
her home when she wished to go.
Der expenses were comparatively
small, and she probably added to
her bank account every week.
She was young and beautiful, ap-
parently happy and respected and be-
loved.
No haunting love affair was in her
life She was in Richmond where
she seemed TO wish to be, and so far
as anyone can imagine, there was no
cause for the depression of which she
wrote.
1t seems she had all to live fora
splendid education, a magnetic per-
sonality, attractive, she had every rea-
riage.
There is but one explanation-tem-
porary arrangement.
Coming back from the scene of the
fearful. frightful death Thursday
morning, The Journal reporter near
the corner OF Ninth and Main Streets
Jaw an old, weak. half lame woman
coming up the Ninth Street hill. She
was poorly clad, showing plainly the
burdens OF poverty, though her plain
calico dress was clean.
She opened a worn little pocket
DOCK and with worn, thin, little fin
gers, drew fort penny and bought
an appel. Maybe it was her morning
luxury and she seemed happy
The contrast flashed through the
on-looker's mind like lightning. Here
was woman, life all behind her
happy and probably hopeful wher
probably she had no reason for either.
A few miles away were the mangled
remains OF a girl whose life had been
ali before herewith everything &c
hope for--dead and her poor, crushec
BODY lying upon a rain-soaked road
And this contrast-why? johnson
S. sn1ght have answered with an cpl
gram; byron, master OF human emo
tons. with pathos; Shakespeare, wiser
than all, AN his wisdom would know
he could not know.
Promised to Return Early
When Miss Keith left the offices of
the State Fair Association Wednesday
night another employe said he would