Year: 1876

1


A TERRIBLE TRAGEDY-THE WIFE OF A
| NAVAL OFFICER TAKES HER LfFR ON


BEING CONFRONTED WITH THE rRouFs
OF HER ILLICIT LOVE.


BEAUFORT, s. c., June THE pro.
found and monOtonous quiet of this
venerable village was rudely disturbed
on Saturday evening last, by the re>
port of the suicide of the wife of Com
mander +. Il. Smith, of The navy,
which took place at the Sea Island
Hotel. Inquiries put afioat promptly,
established the truth of the melancholy
story, and tlfe additional facts which
came out ,asapparent causes for the
deed set tho scandal mongers of the
town to the most vigorous efforts to


properly adorn the tale.


Truth in this case was stronger than
fiction. 1t appears that ON Tuesday
last Commander Smith, who had lived
happily with his wife since his mar
riage in 1871. came across a letter ad-
dressed to his wife by person now
connected with naval vessel at Phil
adelphia, in which expressions were
used that excited grave suspicious in
his mind of the fidelity of his wife. g.
Subsequent discoveries made in letters
intercepted in the mail seemed to con-
firm the Captains most painful appre-
tensions.


With the tell tale documents in his
hand he confronted his wife, and for
several days she refused to acknowl-
edge the charge; but on Saturday, be-
fore mutual friend, she confessed the
commission Of deeds of infidelity with
the person now in Philadelphia, and
did not deny her guilty connection
with an officer of the fleet at Port
Royal. Upon this most painful and
astounding confession, Captain Smith
consulted his friend, whose advise
was very simple. 1t was to instantly
separate from his wife, taking the lit.
tie girl, the sole fruit of the union,
with him, and making provisions for
his wife's future we'll being.


When this decision was announced
by Captain Smith to his wife, she
promptly but firmly replied that she
would separate from him, but that she
would not go North or receive single
penny support from him. As soon as
the separation had been arranged it
seems that Mrs. Smith went over to
the druggist and purchased an ounce
of laudanum for neuralgia pains, as
she alleged. which she took in one
draught. Before, however, this i'm
mense dose was fatal, she retired to
her room, and taking Remington
breach loading ships pistol, she plac-
ed the muZZel to her left breast and |
fired, the heavy ball passing through |
her body and through the blinds of the
window,


Strange enough the shot was not |
heard in the hotel. although in the adj
joining house it was very apparent. 1t
was, perhaps. fifteen minutes before
the mortally wounded woman was dis
covered, and then she was lying on |
the floor, her life blood ebbing rapidly |
on and over the carpet. She died in
about one hour, but never spoke
word or appeared to be conscious of
what was going on about her. The
narcotic effects of the poison, with the
loss of blood, undoubtedly produced
this comatose state. The laudanum
would have finally killed her, but she
made doubly sure by using the Rem
iDgton. AS soon as the fact of her
death was known the coroner, DR..
Johnston. who by the way is brother
of General Joe Johnst On, took poses
sion of the remains, summoned Jury
and held an inquest. After taking
large amount of evidence, the jury
decided that the deceased had come to
her death by pistol shct wound in
fiicted by her own hand or by the
hand of some one unknewn to the jury
Yestesday, at four o'clock, the erring
woman was laid away in her
grave in the old Episcopal burying
ground attended by very few friends
and a handful of colorcd people, drawn
thither by curiosity.