The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1912-12-14
Was Beautiful and Accomplished Woman Entirely Devoted to Husband
 and Family
Mind Had Been Disturbed by Newspaper Clippings Relating to Public 0tfIciaP MT BOdine Absent In New York, Does EOt Know of WIfe's [eath NeigtbO Dreamed She Saw Dead Woman in Pool of Blood

Grievinec over the absence from the
 city of her husband which she had
 coupled to anonymous newspaper clip
 pings sent to her by neighbors, Mrs.
 A. J. BNodine, wife of A1bert J. Bo-
 dine, superintendent of Street Clean
 ing and a prominent store keeper OF
 the East Side, this morning commit
 ted suicide by inhaling illuminating
 gas in her home at 419 Barnum ave-
 nue. A little daughter escaped from the effects of the gas only through the forethougI1t of the mother who opened a window in the room of the sleeping child and shut the door lead ing to the hall.
 The act was committed some time between o'clock and 7:30, when the l househeeper, Mrs. Ida Spring, absent for the night, returned to the house and detecting a, strong odor of escap- ing gas, instituted q search for her mistress, with the result that she was
 found dead in a closet adjoining the
 thrown tili over ~ her head and a gas tube.
 disconnected from a small heater in
 the larger room, inserted in her
 mouth. \
 Responding to a telephone call from
 the apartment at 7:50, pr. E. A. Da-
 wis, of the Emergency staff, found that the woman had been dead for but
 short period of time, and referred the
 case as one for investigation by the
 medical examiner, who later issued
 permit for the removal of the body,
 finding death due to suicidal asphyx-
 iation.
 An attempt to reach MT. Bodine,
 who in company with George l.. Cat
 lin of the Board of Contract and Sup
 ply is said to have left for New York
 yesterday afternoon to attend a dem onstration of a street flusher con
 tennplated for use in the city clean ine was unsuccessful, and up to
 late hoatr this morning he was un-
 aware of his wife's death
 Albert J. Diamond, an assistant to
 Mir Bodine in the Public Works de-
 partment, and an old friend. was called and consented to take charge of the household until MT. Bodine's return.
 Farmer Dimond at first refused all information about the case but later consented to make public the facts
 He said: This is indeed a sad af- fair as Mrs. Bodine was a devoted wife and worshipped the very ground upon which her husband trod. They and eighteen years. coming here from Detroit, where Mrs. Bodine is sur vfved by parents, three sisters and one brother. She was a beautiful woman and an accomplished musician, hay ing taught music at one time. Her daughters, two of whom are now with her parents in Detroit, inherited her tastes and Hazel, aged fifteen, who attends the Barnum school has at tained high proficiency upon the cello. She has studied under famous teachers in New York.
 'tIt is true that Mrs. Bodine was at one time confined in Dr. Ruland's s Sanitarium at Westport where she stayed but couple of months Since her family physician, Dr. Dor1and Smith, of Myrtle avenue. But she ed She was merely mentally run down and suffered mentally. None of the physicians has ever been able to find signs of insanity. It was thought that rest from her work would ac- complish a cure.
 According to residents in the house Mrs. Bodine's condition recently took a turn for the worse and a week or so ago it was understood that a train | ed nurse was in attendance. It was said that while in Detroit last sum 1 from local paper, which, though | containing no names related to a l city official whose car was seen con- stantly standing before womaana,s ciaPs home. Coupling this anony- | nous statement through some un- she is said to have hurried back to l and to have rapidly de- veloped nervous disorders which i necessitated her removal to the Sanl- ! tariurn It is also related by a neigh bor that but a few weeks ago, after a performance of the Merry Widow | Company at local theatre. two men and q woman one of whom the sui eide mistook for her husband were seen by the overwrought woman per forming Merry-Widow waltz upon the pavement in front of the house | between 12 and 1 o'clock in the morn ing.
 After Mir. Bodfne had left for New York yesterday, Mrs. Bodine was heard pacing to and fro in the up stairs rooms.
 According to Mrs. Ida Spring, the | housekeeper, who refused conversation with newspaper reporters this morn ing upon the plea that ''she was great Iy upset over the incident but who was consulted by MT. Dimond upon obscure points, Mrs. Bodine appear ed cheerful during the evening. play ing games and cards, until her daIgh- ter was sent to bed shortly before 10 | 9 clock. A sick call in her own house hold calling Mrs. Spring from the res dence, the deceased woman remarked that she also would retire. It is be- ieved that she but threw herself upon he night footsteps were heard above he first floor
 Both Mrs. Paula Specific who con- iucts a dIessnaking parlor below and Mrs. Blakeman, who resides in the a.d- joining apartment of the same house, leard a banging of the Bodine front loor shortly after 5 o'clock. They were awakened from their slumbers ,y the noise which ceased as foot steps ascended the stairs. It is be- ieved that Mrs. Bodine had attempted o visit the hJrsba nd's store, but one