The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1912-12-08
LEARNING Of DUAL
LIFE Of HUSBAND,
ATTEMPTS SUICIDE
Mis-. Johnson Discovers That
Dead Man Has Wife
and Family
QUITE PROMINENT AS
ROANOKE ARCHITECT
Woman Here Takes Chloro-
firm Upon Learning Her
Wedding in England
Was Mocktry

man whom she believed TO be her hus-
band and who, 1t IL said, has vile
and child in Roanoke. Va, Mrs. Chris
tina Johnston, Of 1891 West Main
street. attempted to commit suicide
yesterday morning by swallowing three
ounces Of chloroform. Before she at
tempted to commit the deed of self
destruction she wrote numerous let
ters. probably fifty In all. one of which
was addressed TO Mrs. Kyle. $50 West
Cary street. In this letter she told
In brief form the story OF her trou-
Bile. Immediately upon receipt OF the
letter Mrs. Kyle telephoned to the
Second Police station, and Bicycle Po-
liceman Botto was sent to the house.
He found Mrs. Johnston unconscious
In her room on the second floor. and
summoned physicians. DIR. y. c. Page,
OF the City hospital was among the
first TO respond. Mrs. Johnston was
then In a precarioas condition, and
heroic measures were resorted to- she
was revived, but was unable 10 tax,
and was then rushed 10 the City hos
pitaI. where IL was said last night
that she would recover.
Ceremony in England.
According to the story as briefly told
In her letter to Mrs. Kyle, and to her
other friends and relatives. Mrs. John
ston had been married. as she believed,
to FL H. Higgins. for Ave years. the
ceremony having taken place In Eng
land Huggins died on Wednesday
morning OF congestion OF the lungs,
and 1t Is supposed that on his dying
bed he informed Mrs. Johnston Of his
dual life. and told her that he had
wife and child in Roanoke.
That Mrs. johnson Knew OF the 9TH
ar wife is attested by letter which
she addressed to Mrs. I'll. III. Muggins.
Roanoke, Va The letter. with tho
others, fell into the hands sf the po !.
Nce. and will be delivered unrea l.
None was stamped: One Vi the ist-
FRS was addressed To Patrick John
sfon. a brother Of the woman. who
lived In the same house. In si,,s t.t-
ter Mrs Johnston wrote that she be-
cueathed TO him all her earthly pos
sessions.
Letters of Farewell.
Another letter Was addressed 10
Mrs. Birch. "or Sis, as we used to call
yeu. The cross Is too heavy to bear.
MAY we rest In peace. Amen"
The letter which led to the dis
covery OF the attempted suicide -
one OF the most pitiful which has
ever fallen into the hands OF the po-
lice. Detectives read It and wept. 1t
told "A hiden story Of love and sorrow
whoch only the woman knew. 1t was
written on mourning paper. and was
evidently carefully thought over ~
follows:
Dear trends:
When yon receive this letter Will
be with my loved one.
God wanted him, and 1 know he
wants rue Please don't think nard
of me when you learn the truth
"The cross was too heavy to bear.
"Your broken hearted friend.
tSigned)
MAY we rest In peace. Amen
Drinks Chioroft RIM.
After writing the letters Mrs. John
eton hay down In her BED ana drank
the choloroform.
No one IN the house knew Of her
condition Mrs. Kyle, who had known
her for only a few months, received
the letter In the morning and tele-
phcncd to the police, Several ofncers
raced to the house. Policeman Botto
was the first to arrive. He went
Immediately upstairs. where he found
Mrs Johnston sleeping calmly. The
letters were on table near the bed.
He tried to arouse her. but she fall
ed to respond Then he sent out
calls for neighboring physicians, and
called in the city ambulance.
After long treatment Mrs. Johnston
was revived. She opened her eyes
YEARLY, but would not talk. 1t was
said later that she expressed a wish
TO die because she had been disap-
pointed. She had thought that she
was the lawfully welded wife OF
Higgins, and when he died she had
nothing more to live for.
Higgins body was taken to Bliley's
81
last night shipped to Roanoke to
his other wife.
Mrs Johnston II between twenty
eight and thirty years old and very
pretty.
Higgins was one of the most promi-
nent architects in Roanoke. He and
Mrs. Johnston had been in Rich
mond but a few days when he was
stricken.