Year: 1879

Suicide.


Mary Geiger is the name OF an un'
fortunate woman living at 9Th and New
SITS. Mary is an excessive drinker and
when under the influence Of her appe.
tite becomes maddened. She is the
mother OF three children, the eldest
an interesting boy Of about six years,
a little girl Of four and baby eleven
months old.


Yesterday Mary got to drinking, and
drank SO necessarily that her brain
soon became turned and she became
raving with delirium.


The little girl for some reason became
an object which seemed to excite her
frenzy and she began to numerically
beat her. She clutched tho little one
by the head and tore the hair out by
handfuls. She then gathered the child
up and threw it violently TO the floor.
Had it not been for the timely inter
ference of some one, tho unfortunate
child might have been killed.


Officer Bernhardt putting in an appear
ance arrested the woman, and took heI
in custody. When taken to the Hall
she had the baby in her arms. When
taken to the Hall she was confined in
the moro respectable cells on the second
floor of the building. Upon her incar
ceration, she grew more violent, and
attracted the attention OF tho passers.
by on King street by her loud cries.


The Mayor being informed of the
matter went to the hall to investigate
the affair. Learning that the baby
was still in the woman's possession and
fearing that she would do it injury he
ordered the child to be taken from her
He then informed Mrs. Captain Benson
and ether ladies connected with the
Home for Friendless children of the
facts in the case, and they informed
him, that, if upon sufficient evidence
that the woman was incapable Of taking
proper care Of the children, he should
commit them they would take them
and place them in the home.


Tbs Mayor taking immediate action
had Eliza Jane Talley, Elizabeth Ma
son, Mary Emmons, Elizabeth Curbuy,
Thomas Green, James Curnilam and
John Grave, neighbsrs Of tho unfortu-
nate woman, suppoenaed, all OF whom
at the trial last evening, testified to the
woman's inability to take proper care
of her offspring. They stated that
Mary was an habitual drunkard and that
through her ardent love for stron drink
she was unable to procure for them the
common necessaries of life, and often in
cold weather, permitted them to run
out in the streets with hardly enough
clothing upon them to cover their
nakedness. Tho evidence being sutfi-
cient the children were committed.


After the baby was taken from her
she grew more violent and in her raw
ings kept continually crying for her
child. The noise she was making hav-
ing attracted toe much attention she
was taken out Of the upper cell and
confined in cell No. on the ground
door. Here, late in tho evening, she
ATTEMPTED to take her life.


The attempt was made with the
sharp point of hair pin, used upon a
vein of the arm. She had succeeded in
breaking the skin and would have been
successful in her suicidal attempt had
it not been for the watchfulness of the
officers. Upon the discovery of the
woman's mad attempt, under the orders
Of the Chief Police, she was placed in
closer confinment and handcuffed.


This morning she was to be tried for
drunkenness and disorderly conduct, but
owing to the absence Of the witnesses,
il was pOstpOned.