Virginia gazette. [volume] (Williamsburg, Va.) 1893-192?, 1910-05-12
DRIVEN BY FEAR
SHE Whales GAS
Miss stephens Christian Science Lead
er, Dreading Animal Magnetism,
Kills Herself.


NEW YORK Special.-Victim OF q
nervous breakdown. due 20 her fear OF
malicious animal magnetism and
conflicting sense OF her duty TO the
faith OF Christian Science and her
/ love for Mrs. Augusta Stetson. the ex-
/ communicated leader OF that cult. Miss
l Marion stephens. herself one OF the
most successful OF the hcalers OF the
\ church. committed suicide saturday
night by inhaling gas.
Before ending her life. the troubled
disciple had said: Il knew that the
church Is right. but 1 feel that for me.
at least, Augusta stands in the place
OF Christ. cannot meet God except
through her guidance. How. them
can / desert her."
/ THAT Miss Stephens.s suicide was
brought about by the exercise OF ma
hciOus animal magnetism Is the
theory advanced by some OF her
friends 20 account for her death She
had conhded 20 them that some mys-
terious evil influence seemed TO be as
serted against her mentality and she
feared she might not De able 10 op-
! pose her faith against e sufficiently 10
; save her life.
IL was in the apartments OF her sis
: ter. Mrs. Eva Weeks, $40 West one
Hundred and Eleventh street. that
. Miss stephens committed suicide. hers
being the third self-iuhicted death
70 among Christian Scientists TO have
[ taken place within the last Jew weeks.
e That the act was due 90 a great dis
- tress OF mind was admitted yesterday
10y those most intimate with her. said
.. one of those. one whose name may not
be used- Three days ago Marion
came 20 me and said. Il cannot stand
y this awful strain much longer; IL Is
with me day and night love the
Is church. but there is an influence over
cm that 4 cannot break
& Although exceedingly nervous and
a much depressed. Aiiss stephens was
apparently in mo- worse ceuDitiou than
i. when her sister. Mrs Weeks. ieft her
"a saturday evening. Returning 20 their
apartment later Mrs. Weeks and her
d husband were almost sraothered by
10 gas. ON the floor OF the bathroom.
with rubber tube leading from the
gas Jet I'm her mouth. they found the
IS body of the suicide. Under her head
was "a pillow.
IN Dr. Fassett. who lives a few doors
20 away applied usual restoratives. but
- 60 no avail He reported the case 10
y the Coroner's office. Coroners Physi-
clan Weston found the facts here re-
O, lated and issued certificate OF death
by Illuminating gas poisoning with sui
I'd -idal intent. The body was taken away
.r Tor shipment 70 ToSanda. Pa. where
nterment will be made.
This was the home town o. Miss
el stephens. and where nearly nftee n
b.. years ago she had taken up the Chris
re- tian Science teachings. SubseQ uently
81, / she came 20 this city and later beams
= a warm friend OF Mrs. Stets0u and one
n- Of hev staunchest adherents. Then
.ls lcame the rupture with Mrs. Eddy.
Miss stephens was then living with
o.. ( Mrs. Stetson. and directly became
rs greatly troubled by the fact thai thers
81 hac come division between Hrs
" ~tetson and the church.
Asked Advice OF Mr.. Eddy.
-e What seemed 90 trouble her most
or was that her own loyalty must neces-
,r- sarily seem 90 be divided. ard 20 heI
i. sister and 90 her intimate friends sh'
i ~ was often heard 10 bewan the fac
'' that she could get no guidance lr
her distress Miss stephens turned a
OBJ AIRS. EDDY. wrote that she had quit
ol ted the home OF Mrs Stetsou anS
ev asked advice.
III Mrs. Eddys reply. under date o.
December II. 1909. was as follows
~ "ATv Dear Student.-Nour favor o.
el- the 10Th instant IS at hand. God o
lef above your teacher. yolr healer o
ler any earthly friend Follow the cirec
tnuS of God as simplned in Chris
.,t tian Science. and. though - he throuEl
~. deserts lie Wiz direct YOU into IN
- paths uf peace
- -l do not presume % give you per
tnt |sora1 instruction as 90 your relation
irC Win other students. An say Is stat
Int cd lu Christian Science. 10 De used a
"a model. Please md lt there. and O
nor bring your leader irto a. persons
conflict.
ine 81 have not seen Mrs sretson n
over Cd year. and have NOT written
... her since August 3. 1909.
III MARY BAKER EDDY"
q, Friends ana relatives aver that AIi
D.. stephens began 20 show signs ~ worI
-t latter the receipt of this letter. 81
was Or the verge 90 o. breakdown " he
So members OF the family sent her
PAUL flw,ra no her sister. There She seen
eG 90 regain health and Few weel
ter ago she returned to this city and n
r1. fslme1 her work as O healer. But
- the old environment her mental tro
p. bles came back.