The Morning Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Okla.) 1919-1927, 1922-10-29
COUNTY JAIL SCENE
Arrested on Complaint of Her
Mother; Drink Wrecked
Mind, Was Charge
GREW RICH DURING WAR
Husbands Firm Failed and
She Decided Own Property
to Parent for Safety

Driven into a suicidal mood by de-
spOndcncy apparently caused by
drink, Mrs. Agnes &. Gessel, once a
highly successful business woman
who made fortune estimated at n
quarter million dollars during the
war, shot and mortally wounded
herself Saturday afternoon in the
women's ward OF the county jail.
She died at 9:15 Saturday night at
local hospital, few minutes after
being removed from the operating
room.
Il am going TO end II ALL" the
stricken woman declared, as she
jerked a tiny rs caliber automatic
pistol from her bosom, other in
mates OF the women's ward said last
night. Placing the mu2zle OF the
gun against her left side, Mrs. Ges-
sel pulled the trigger once. The
other women. who had rushed into
her cell were too late TO prevent the
firing of the gun.
As tho others reached her side,
Mrs. Gessel was reciting the Litany,
the women said.
"AIl My Fault" She Says
"No one is to blame for this bat
fellow prisoners query IL she want
ed priest Just tell them 10 zee
that all my debts are paid and that
all that is left goes TO my mother
] want her to get everything.
NO one is to blame for this but
met Is all my own faut. / want
TO end 1t all.
When taken from the Jail on a
cot, Mrs. Gessel. apparently suffer-
Ing no pain, bade the other women
oh Al
wish for their speedy freedom, they
said she told her fellow prisoners
that she had purchased the gun;
with which she mortally wounded
herself, Saturday morning at Il
downtown store.
Mrs. Gessel had walked an adven-
Nurous and stormy path, according
u her acquaintances. She was ioi :
mer wife of Ben c. Gessel, president
OF the bankrupt Western Rope ana
Cordagc company. and 1t was Whiie
she was connected with that ilrin
with her husband that she accumu-
lated a fortune estimated at S25o'-
900 at one time. ,,
She was placed in the county 1aii
Thursday night on complaint OF her
mother, Mrs. Il. S. Chamberlain
who later filed an insanity charge
against her. Sheriff w. NJ. McCuI.
lough, who arrested tho woman az
her palatial home southeast OF the
city. said that she was intoNlcaleu
at the time.
Lunncy Hearing Delayed.
The hearing was tlrst set lot
day morning. but on plea OF couhse'
for Mrs. Gessel that they hau ho'
had time to prepare for trial, con-
tinuance was granted until Satur-
day. Then, on Saturday, the case
was nut over until Monday morn
ing at Q o'clock for the same reason
Mrs. Gessel evidently intended to re,
Asst the charges. as she had caustu
wa number of witnesses TO be sum
Emoned to testify that she was zane.
Y When the hearing ahd been posi-
poned County Judge u. l. j. HON
ordered Mrs. Gessel released IRON
Jail placing her in the CUSTODY OF
Miss Anna Mcclure. a friend. VINO
promised TO produce her Tor the
hearing.
Following the continuance Sotur'
day morning, according 10 lac.'
gathered by Sheriff Mccullough
Mrs Gessel went home to get some
clean clothes. -
Shortly before noon," the sher'
~ hdlO last night Sue NdlilS !. -,
IN the county Jail office. | thinl
She was drinking. She wanted 20 -
into the women's ward and see IN,
girls so she told me. ! told her
couldn't allow that and advised ne
10 80 on home. She left ana IN Jus
a few minutes her mother called anC
said that her daughter was out a
the house again and was crazy
asked TO talk to her and when sh'
came to the phone. told her to com'
TO my office. and she said she would
In lust few minutes she ap
peared. She told me she had SOM
Ice cream she wanted 10 take 10 ne
friend. Miss Mcclure. and thar sh'
had n taxlcab outside, ! told her u
80 ahead and walked with her to IN
courthouse steps. She was back IN
Few minutes and accompanied ny
deputy sheriff to the jail. The laile
placed her In the women's ward an'
just few seconds later she sho
herself. II was probably While oi
thls trip that she bought the gun
Was Gesscl's Secretary.
Mrs. Gussel was about 33 years o
age. For several years before sh
married Ben Gessel, she was his prl
CONTINUED ON PAGE THIRTEEN