The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1913-07-03
Miss Ora Billiard of Ashland, Who
Killed Self in Denver Hospital While
Employed as Nurse.

Dressing herself in her neatest uni
form upon arising she quietly waited
her chance to get the weapon she knew
was kept in the isolated detention hos
pita1 by the Waterman. She had talked
to her companions in the peSthouSe or
the day they would return to their
nurse classes.
Which of them would be marked for
life? They had discussed it often and
always Miss Billiard expressed the opiI-
ion that she did not think she would
care to carry the marks. s
A nurses appearance, so valuable to
a sick room, would be gone, she argued.
Her heart had been set upon being q
nurse. The dreaded disease that threat
ened her lfe's ambition had become
reality. She already pictured herself
disfigured, her loneliness gone. She
would end it all before her closest
friends and relatives ever had chance
to look upon her marred features.
Miss Billiard came here from farnt
near Ashland, Kan, where her father,
J. B. Billiard, is a wealthy landowner.
She had for years longed to go out
into the world and use her beauty and
sweet disposition to make the lives OF
others happy.
Her parents had often talked with
her over her chosen work and had
promised to let her start out when
she reached the age of 81. March, 1912,
brought her past her majority.
She was a quiet, reserved little wo-
man, and her company dispelled much
of the gloom that rests within the cot
lined walls of the hospital.
For more than year she worked in
the hospital, and her work was alway S
most satisfactory. There was only one
handicap, they said, the failure Of
smallpox vaccine to take on her, but
it is a theory that when the vaccine
does not take the person is immune.
,;-, al 4
each time the wounds healed without
Satisfa Glory results.
There was constant danger, how
ever, but she never heSltated In her
work. She seemed wrapped up in her
duties, and never gave a thought to
her possible affliction with that dis
ease.
On many occasions in the course of
her training she was called to the bed
side of women and men who had at
tempted death. She had remarked
that "she would certainly never at
tempt to end her life,'' as life was too
/; full of happiness.
Then, three weeks ago, a woman
patient was taken into the hospital,
suffering with what was thought to be
a severe case of chickenpox. Miss
Billiard and several other nurses wait
ed on her at various times.
! The case soon turned into an aggra-
waited case of smallpox, and the pa
tient was removed to the Sand Creek
hospital. A few days later MISS Bull
lard, the little nurse who had not
been successfully vaccinated, was sent
to the same place, with the same dis
ease.
From the day she left the county
hospital for the pesthouse, Miss Bull
lard was respondent. She ceased to
eat regularly and showed signs of
broken nerves. Mrs. Kennedy ap-
pointed herself guard over the young
woman.
Miss Billiard arose at the usual time.
She went to the dining room, but did
rot eat A few minutes after 8
O'Clock, while the others were busy
about the premises, she slipped into
the room of Loren Wiley, the cook,
a few doors from her room, and, TAX
ing a pistol from the wall by his bed,
fired the fatal shot.
Mrs. Kennedy was in the next room
and rushed to where the girl lay. Will
ley ran in from the kitchen, where he
had been washing dishes. The nurse,
however, was past assistance.