Mamie MILLER

MILLER, HOWARD, GRISWOLD

Posted By: Sarah Thorson Little (email)
Date: 5/21/2013 at 15:52:28

IT WAS THE FERRY SUICIDE, MRS. MILLER

HER BODY RECOVERED FROM THE BAY YESTERDAY

Identified by the Woman With Whom She Lived in This City.

The body of a woman taken from the bay yesterday by the United States steamship Vigilant has been Identified as that of Mrs. Mamie Miller, the woman who was supposed to have jumped from the ferryboat Piedmont Saturday night. The body was identified by Mrs. May Howard, with whom the dead woman lived at 292 O'Farrell street. The Vigilant was on her way down from Mare Island when one of the crow saw the body floating just off the steamer's course Lieutenant Evans, who commands the Vigilant, ordered the boat stopped and the body was taken on deck and was brought to this city. At first it was supposed that the body was that of a woman who lived on Dupont street and who owns considerable property there. A police officer declared he knew the woman, but he could not give her name. The body was taken to the Morgue and there Mrs. Howard identified it as that of her friend, Mrs. Miller. It had been almost disrobed by the action of the water, but the features were not marred and Mrs. Howard had no difficulty in recognizing the face. Mrs. Howard has no idea what prompted the suicide to take her life. When she left the house on O'Farrell street last Saturday she gave no indication that she had any suicidal purpose. She said she had money, but immediately after leaving the house she went to a jewelry store and pawned a ring for $1.50. The mark on her finger made by the ring is still visible. When she pawned her ring she told the jeweler she was going to take a Hammam bath and she wanted the money for that purpose. That is the last known of her until her hat and purse were found on the ferryboat.

SACRAMENTO, Oct. 25.— Mrs. Ralph Griswold, an aunt of Mrs. Miller, was seen at her home, 1921 N street, by The Call correspondent this evening. She had just returned from the telegraph office, where she had sent a message to Mrs. Miller's parents at Eagle Grove, Ia., notifying them of the finding of the body. Mrs. Griswold said: "Mrs. Miller was a widow. Her husband was killed in an accident on the railroad in the East. I don't see why Mrs. Miller should have committed suicide, because she could have come to me at any time and I would have helped her. Her folks in the East are of the highest respectability. I have nothing but kindness for her memory." Mrs. Griswold was very much affected by the news that had reached her but a short time before. She will leave for San Francisco tomorrow morning.

San Francisco Call - San Francisco, California
26 October 1898