Grieved by M’Kinley’s Death, Young Woman Takes
Her Life
Grieved by the death of President
McKinley, Grace Wilson, 17 years old, daughter of James H. Wilson,
6664 Michigan avenue, declared yesterday morning that she could
not live, and a few minutes later killed herself by firing a bullet
into her temple. She had been despondent since the shooting of the
President and had spoken several times as if she contemplated suicide,
but her parents had believed that in time she would regain her former
spirits.
Shortly before 8 o’clock yesterday
morning she read of the death of the President, and exclaimed to
her mother:
“O, the President is dead. They have
killed him. We are losing all our best men. I do not wish to live
longer.”
In a few minutes she went to her room,
and almost immediately afterward the sound of the shot was heard.
After the assassin’s bullet was fired
at the nation’s Chief executive Miss Wilson had been intensely interested
in the latter’s condition, following each bulletin in the President’s
fight against death. When the news of the gradual sinking of Mr.
McKinley came she spent hours weeping in her room.
She purchased the latest edition of
the newspapers to learn the condition of the President.
Yesterday morning she arose early,
and, as usual, hurried to the nearest place where the newspapers
could be obtained. On her return she seemed more than usually depressed.
Nothing was said by her at the breakfast table which would indicate
she intended to end her life.
When her father, who is employed at
the Stock-Yards, had left for his work, she made the remarks which
showed how deeply the President’s death had affected her. She secured
her father’s revolver from a bureau in his room, then going to her
apartment she stood before her mirror, placed the weapon against
her temple, and fired.
Startled by the shot, members of the
household rushed to the room and found the young woman lying on
the floor. Death had been instantaneous.
The parents say their daughter had
possessed a cheerful disposition previous to the crime at Buffalo.
She had no love affair that was known to them, and they are positive
that her grief over the President’s death alone was the cause for
her act. The young woman left school a few years ago because of
failing health, and since then had been teaching music.
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