Year: 1868




/ "a Life and Wresched Death. ~


oneor two carriages formed the fu


neral procession that recently followed
to its grave, from a house of prostitu'
tion, on Third street, near Plum, the
dead body of Kate Startling, born Kate
McMillen, who is said to have died from
an overdose Of morphine. Such was
the exit from this life of one whe, for
over twenty years has been known as
one of the gayest of the gay among wo.
nen of her class. Her history is that
of smart, dashing woman, who, in a
respectable life, would have doubtless
been an ornament to the society from
which, with the exception of brief Pc
riod, she was entirely excluded.


Twenty years ago she was fresh and
beautiful girl, sparkling with physical
health and beauty that made her re-
markably attractive. Born to humble
life, and compelled at sixteen to earn
her own living, she necessarily became
mark for all that is sensuous In look
and design. With passions as strongly
developed as was her physique, she did
not always shrink from what she had
been taught to regard as imprOprieties.
So, while still fresh yeung girl, she
suecumbed to the advances of illicit
love, and becaIne the mistress of her
employer, q manufacturer Of wealth,
long since deceased, whose family still
occupy a good position in the society of
the Qaeen city.


Her first introduction into really gay
life was on the occasion of trip to
New Orleans, made in the society of her
lover; but upon her return to this city,
and their separation, she plunged head
long into the vortex of dissipation, and
was, for time, as fast" as the fastest
of her sex. Previous to her introduc-
tion to the house then known as Jenny
Hardy's, she for some time constituted
an object of much interest to the pa
trens of Main street drinking saloon,
where she acted as bar-maid. 1t was
here that she first attracted the atten-
tion of a well-known sporting man,
Jake Startling" whose big heart im-
mediately conceived violent passion
for the charming young creature whose
attractions quite bewildered him, as she
gracefully served him his champagne
cocktails or his flush" occasions.


Jake Startling was not known to do
things by halves; and so, when their
acquaintance had ripened into full in
timacy, he took her away from all such
public scenes, and gave her permission
to call herself Mrs. Startling; and al
ways after she was known as Kate Star
ling. At least twelve years of her life
were passed together, ard their com
panionship never ceased until Starllng's
death. In the meantime she had been
living a completely secluded life, Ind
had devoted herself considerably to
her Improvement mentally-she needed
pone physically. She had become pro-
ficient in music, had read much, had
cultivated her conversational powers to
a high point, and had really carried
herself to notch of social ability
somewhat remarkable to one of her con-
dition in life.


1t was shortly after Starling's death
that she made an attempt at full refor-
nation, and was finally admitted into
respectable society. A few generous
hearts responded to her appeals for
sympathy and aid in her effort, and she
was soon recognized by several very
good families, who chose to forget her
past life, and look upon her only rs tho
"Widow Startling" That
she might not Immediately exhaust the
scanty means left her she was aided to
a class of music pupils, and was given
a position in the choir of one of our
most fashionable churches. There is q
gap in her history, here, that we cannot
fili-her fall from grace-her second ef-
fort, in opening a millinery stere on
Fifth street-her failure there, and her
third effort and failure in store under
the Fourth street theatre. Suffice 1t to
saw that she was unfortunate In her
business affairs. And in the fact that
she could not forego complete intimacy
with her other sex. Kate Startling al
ways wanted clover" and finally her
passions and necessities combined led
her again to bad life, and she once
more became an inmate of a house of
prostitution. =,


Too old, at length, to be remarkably
attractive, although strong traces of the
beauty of her younger days remained,
too refined to be contented in the sad
scenes of brothel life, and yet too far
gone to better her condition, she, in the
last two years, sank into despondent
condition of mind, from which she could
only escape by the use of stimulants.
For several months previous to her
death she had appeared a sad wreck of
the osce beautiful Kate McMillen, and
she sank rapidly. On the night of her
death she was in distracted state OF
mind, bordering on delirium, and while
in that condition took the dose that
caused her death-whether by design or
accident is not positively known.