The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-10-07
Suicide Pact Carried Out by
Bennington Sweethearts.
Doctor and 17-Year-Oid Girl
Die In Apple Orchard.
GIRL PERSUADED BY LOVER
For Seven Days She Failed to
Agree to His Plan.
DR.. ]. r. Toman, Minneapolis
Nellie MarkIey, Bennington.

Bennington, Kan, Oct. Late
Saturday night Miss Nellie Markley,
the seventeen year old daughter and
only child of William Markley. a pros
porous farmer living two miles south
east of here and DR.. John r. Toman,
a veterinarian surgeon practicing at
MINNEAPOLIS committed suicide by TAX
ing morphine tablets The dead bodies
were discovered early Sunday morning
In the orchard near the Markley home.
The story of this particular tragedy in
life's drama is peculiarly sad. There is
an entire absence of that romance. only
a crazed and disordered brain being
directly responsible for the mad act Of
this unfortunate and i'll fated young
couple in destroying their lives by their
own hands Proud of their beautiful
and accomplished daughter for Miss
Nellie was considered one of the bellies
o. the country side and accomplished
because her parents had spared no ex-
pense in educating her Mr.. and Mrs.
Markley were prouder still when
Doctor Toman began to pay court to
Nellie. Toman had graduated from the
Kansas City Veterinary college a lit
tie more than a year ago and with his
mother, sisters and brothers of whom
he was the only support, came to Min
neapolis where he succeeded in the
short time he was there TO build up
good practice
Doctor Was Well Liked
He was not twenty-one years of age
but his natural ability and gentlemanly
and courteous bearing won for him not
only the respect and confidence of his
business associates but made him a
very welcome asset of Minneapolis So
ciety. A week or so ago Mrs. Toman
was taken to Kansas City to undergo
an operation at one of the hospitals
there and partly to see his mother and
Toman accompanied by Miss Nellie
ATarkley left for Kansas City last
Wednesday returning Saturday after |
noon Saturday evening Nellie called !
up Toman by telephone at his office in |
MINNEAPOLIS saying among other things |
that she had now made up her mind : o |
go with him and for him to come down |
at once.
It is twelve miles from Minneapolis |
to Bennington and during the time Nell I
lie was waiting for Toman she visited /
the stores as was her habit and the |
only change in her was that she seemed /
distracted and did not care to engage in (
conversation with others. About ten /
O'Clock in the evening Toman came into |
ElliOttS drug store where he bought /
twenty-four one-fourth grain morphine !
tablets paying fifteen cents for them |
and leaving the store After procuring
the morphine tablets young Toman with !
Nellie drove to the Marley home.
nary was noted by either Mr. or Mrs.
Markley who retired leaving the young
people to themselves. 1t was about
O'Clock Sunday morning when Mrs.
Marl1ley awoke from a nightmare,
dreaming she said, That her Nellie
and the doctor had hanged themselves
in the orchard" She noticed that the
light was still burning but investi-
cation failed to find Nellie in or about
the house. BY chance couple of il
BILE were discovered they proving TO i
be notes, one written by Nellie and
the other by Toman to the effect that
they had decided to go away together,
in fact to commit suicide in each 9th
er's presence and enter the great I'M
known together. The alarmed parents
called up the Bennington telephone ;
office telling what had happened and
asked that the neignbors be inform
ed and a search for the missing cou-
pie be made.
Found in Orchard.
A. F. Ford. a neighbor in going to
the Markley house little after 5
O'Clock Sunday morning discovered the
bodies in the orchard. The girl was
lying on the ground as though asleep !
death having taken place without a
struggle while Toman was living on
his face. there being indications of a
violent and painful death. The coroner
and other officials were notified but
not waiting for their arrival the
bodies were carried into the house.
An inquest will be held but there is
no doubt as to what the verdict will
he. In the pocket of the dead man
was letter written by Nellie which
throws much light on the suicide
It was written n week ago and was
to the effect that she (Nellie) found
It hard to make up her mind to do
as her lover wanted her to do, to go
with him irto the great unknown.
That she could scarcely make UP her
mind to take her life as he suggested
It has just been made known to the
public that two years ago or there
abouts DR.. Toman's father committed
suicide by taking carboIic acid and
this IN part explains the mad act of
Saturday night Inheriting from his
father the suicidal tendency young
Toman. who evidently had gained full
and absolute sway over the mind of
Miss Markley, succeeded in getting her
consent to die with him; to both enter
the great unknown together. They
we're engaged and were to be married
next June and as there is not known
to be any quarrel between them or any
jealousy. the suicide is the direct re-
suit of a crazed and diSordered mind.