Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1912-10-03
FIGHTS HER CHUM
G HOURS TOFO|L
SUICIDE ATTEMPT
Partners in Business,
One, Jealous, Tries
to End Life.
LOCKS SELF in CELLAR
AND TURNS ON THE GAS
Screams Unheard,@ Friend Bat
ties in the Dark and Drags
Woman to Safety.

Battling desperately for hours in
the darkness of cold, dank cellar
Mrs. Helen O.. Beach, of AZ North
Seventh street, prevented her younger
partner. from killing herself in a fren
zied fit of suicidal mania.
The victim. Miss Emily sherman.
2S years old. of the same address ia
Today in serious condition at the
City Hospital. She will probably re-
cover.
She was saved only by the bravery
oi Mrs. Beach, who for six hours.
alone in her house and unable to
summon help, fought with her.
Inc two women are modistes. They
have lived quietly together without
Irlction, amicably carrying on the
business Mrs. Beach had established.
me narrowing climax to their une
ventful, prosaic life together came
yesterday afternoon.
Il had been going downtown sbon-
ping said Mrs. Beach today, land
EMILY had gone to visit her brother
IN East Orange. For some reason she
had always seemed insanely iealous
when l went to see my married son
In Vailsburg, so 1 thought 7 would
take the opportunity to run up there
to see him. But she arrived home he
fore / did
Where have you been?' was the
first thing hse asked me.
TO my sons said.
Then she lost control of herself
and flew into a rage. I was worried
and frightened, but I thought it best
to take no notice. l left her and
went to the store.
Alarmed at Friends Absence.
When | came back she had tiisan-
peared ! found that the bathroom
door was hooked ON the inside and
she would Siot answer when I spoke
II could open the door @just a
crack. Then | was horrified to And
the gas pouring out. flung myself
against the door, but i could not.
break it down.
Frantic, / tried to find some way
of saving her. I took a hairpin. bent
it straight and managed to unhook
the door. Emily was in the bathtub
and both gas jets were turned on
full.
"she fought me when I tried to get
her out of the room. This was a few
minutes after IL o'clock. After what
seemed an eternity had half carried
and half dragged her downstairs To
the kitchen.
TIL be good I'll be good." she
kept screaming. Let me alone
Fearing she would make another
attempt, I went through the house
getting all the keys, so that she could
not. lock herself in any one of the
rooms.
When came back she was bend
ing over gas plate, gulping down
the fumes. Again she struggled when
pulled her away.
81 had quieted her again when the
doorbell rang. While / was answer
ing it, she went down to the cellar
and tied the door That was at
o'clock. l broke the door open and
went down after her. She was
standing with her mouth over the
open gas jet.
From that time until quarter to
seven I struggled fought, pleaded
with her. Every time tried to go
for help she would rush to the gas
jet and put her mouth to it. Her
strength was something abnormal.
shrieked for help, but no one heard
me. I felt as If / would go insane
myself.
IT matched her wits with mine. I
became cunning. 1 let her break away
from me, run to the gas-jet and turn
it on. Leaping against the wall, ex-
hausted and choking with fumes,
waited until she was half stupefied.
Then / carried her away from the jet
and ran for help
1t was then 6:45. Mrs& Brach met
Cullen, a boarder in the
house, as he came up the steps He
called doctor and then helped Mrs.
Beach carry Miss Sherman to her
room.
After she had been partly revived
she broke away from the doctor and
TO reach the gas-jet in her
own room. An ambulance was sum-
but she refused to go to the
City Hosital. Then she was forcibly
in the Fifth precinct patrol
wagon.
To the doctors she said today: 'T
was just Respondent"