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Well-Known Young Woman Suffers From Melancolia and Shoots Herself
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Miss Minnie M. Anderson, daughter of Mrs. John L. Hockersmith, committed suicide, Monday, between 9:30 and 10:30 o'clock, in the home of her mother, Ringgold street, by shooting herself with an army revolver, through the left breast.
The weapon was hanging on the wall of a room in the house and, so far as is known, had been loaded fifteen years ago.
Her mother had left the house at 9:30 o'clock to go on an errand to Penn street, and nobody was in the house at the time of the action.
Found by Her Mother
When Mrs. Hockersmith left her daughter, the latter was in an apparently good frame of mind and left no impression whatever that she contemplated suicide. Upon the return one hour later, Mrs. Hockersmith, not finding her daughter down stairs, went to the second floor to her own room, and in passing the bedroom of her daughter, found her lying in front of her dresser, in a pool of blood with the large gun near her. She immediately summoned a doctor who prnounce the woman dead. She had been dead for some time, just how long could not be determined.
The Coroner Notified
Coroner McClay was notified and he sent instructions that an officer should go to the house and determine whether an inquest would be necessary. Patrolman Harris was dispatched to the house and found that the deed was committed by Miss Anderson's own hand.
The existence of the revolver, with which she committed the action was unknown by her mother to be around the house. Mr. Hockersmith knew that it was around the house, but did not recall its exact location. It was used in the Civil war and was thought to have been unserviceable. It was never seen in the hands of the dead woman before and accordingly its whereabouts must have been known only to her.
Became Ill in Washington
Miss Anderson had been a resident of Washington, D. C. for the past seven years, and during the winter months, she contracted a severe cold, from which she could not recover, and because of this she became very melancholy at times.
She was brought home from Washington one month ago by her sister, Miss Bertha Anderson, and family and relatives were under the impression that she was regaining good health, judging from the way she was able to move around and by her apparently cheerful disposition of the past few days.
Subject to Melancholia
Because of the frequent attacks of melancholia, her family always was accustomed to keep strict watch over her, in the fear that she would make an attempt against her life.
She was 40 years of age and was born in Mercersburg, the daughter of Edward and Margaret Anderson.
When she was 20 years of age her parents moved to Waynesboro and made their residence on Cleveland avenue. Her father died when she was 25 years of age.
She spent the past 7 years in Washington, D. C. following her trade, which was dressmaking.
She was a member of the Methodist Episcopal church.
Surviving is her mother and stepfather, two sisters: Miss Bertha Anderson, of the local postoffice force, Mrs. J. C. Sheiss, Altoona and two brothers, Ray R. Anderson, Waynesboro, and C. G. Anderson, Lynchburg, Va.
Miss Anderson had a very wide friendship with Waynesboro people and the sympathy of the entire community will go out to the surviving members of her family in their great sorrow.
Waynesboro Record, Waynesboro, PA Wednesday, April 21, 1915
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Well-Known Young Woman Suffers From Melancolia and Shoots Herself
-------------
Miss Minnie M. Anderson, daughter of Mrs. John L. Hockersmith, committed suicide, Monday, between 9:30 and 10:30 o'clock, in the home of her mother, Ringgold street, by shooting herself with an army revolver, through the left breast.
The weapon was hanging on the wall of a room in the house and, so far as is known, had been loaded fifteen years ago.
Her mother had left the house at 9:30 o'clock to go on an errand to Penn street, and nobody was in the house at the time of the action.
Found by Her Mother
When Mrs. Hockersmith left her daughter, the latter was in an apparently good frame of mind and left no impression whatever that she contemplated suicide. Upon the return one hour later, Mrs. Hockersmith, not finding her daughter down stairs, went to the second floor to her own room, and in passing the bedroom of her daughter, found her lying in front of her dresser, in a pool of blood with the large gun near her. She immediately summoned a doctor who prnounce the woman dead. She had been dead for some time, just how long could not be determined.
The Coroner Notified
Coroner McClay was notified and he sent instructions that an officer should go to the house and determine whether an inquest would be necessary. Patrolman Harris was dispatched to the house and found that the deed was committed by Miss Anderson's own hand.
The existence of the revolver, with which she committed the action was unknown by her mother to be around the house. Mr. Hockersmith knew that it was around the house, but did not recall its exact location. It was used in the Civil war and was thought to have been unserviceable. It was never seen in the hands of the dead woman before and accordingly its whereabouts must have been known only to her.
Became Ill in Washington
Miss Anderson had been a resident of Washington, D. C. for the past seven years, and during the winter months, she contracted a severe cold, from which she could not recover, and because of this she became very melancholy at times.
She was brought home from Washington one month ago by her sister, Miss Bertha Anderson, and family and relatives were under the impression that she was regaining good health, judging from the way she was able to move around and by her apparently cheerful disposition of the past few days.
Subject to Melancholia
Because of the frequent attacks of melancholia, her family always was accustomed to keep strict watch over her, in the fear that she would make an attempt against her life.
She was 40 years of age and was born in Mercersburg, the daughter of Edward and Margaret Anderson.
When she was 20 years of age her parents moved to Waynesboro and made their residence on Cleveland avenue. Her father died when she was 25 years of age.
She spent the past 7 years in Washington, D. C. following her trade, which was dressmaking.
She was a member of the Methodist Episcopal church.
Surviving is her mother and stepfather, two sisters: Miss Bertha Anderson, of the local postoffice force, Mrs. J. C. Sheiss, Altoona and two brothers, Ray R. Anderson, Waynesboro, and C. G. Anderson, Lynchburg, Va.
Miss Anderson had a very wide friendship with Waynesboro people and the sympathy of the entire community will go out to the surviving members of her family in their great sorrow.
Waynesboro Record, Waynesboro, PA Wednesday, April 21, 1915
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