New York Suicide Club.

Manawatu Herald, 10 September 1898, Page 3

New York Suicide Club.

4 - MANY WOMEN VICTIMS OF A TERRIBLE ORGANISATION. The New York Suicide Club, which the police thought they had bad entirely suppressed when it wa.discovered and stopped between two or three years ago, either has been revived or a similar organisation has ppruog up in succession to it. The regularity of mysterious deaths in the city, always occurring abou! the same time of the month, led t> the belief that such a club existed. but it is only now that the details o1 the affair have become known. The present Suicide Club seems to be confined to women ; its predecessor was for men only, In both the motive of self-destruction seemto have been the same, viz., that the act was compulsory under the rule.' of the club. Most of the wom^r. who have killed themselves when ordered have been young and good looking, and in no case has actual poverty been the contributing cau.ce The club is believed to have been started or revived six months ago. There was a limited membership, and further applicants could only be j admitted as the vacancies occurred. Social meetings were held regularly, and at a certain meeting each momh the next victim was determined upon. The rules provided for a monthly death. The last instance of euioide occurred a few days ago. A girl named Bessie Dunbar called a friend into her room that morning and, after saying " It is ray turn to die to day " swallowed a quantity of carbolic acid. The witness of the painful scene ran at once for a doctor but by the time he arrived the girl was dead. The previous victim was Minnie Clark, who poisoned heiself on June 15 at the corner of Broadway and Twenty First-street. Bespie Dunbar, was with her at the t ; rae, and duly reported the suicide at the next meeting of the club. Thi ; three preceeding victims were Tillie Lorreson, Mary Orepoe, and Annie Cooper. The police are arresting the surviving members of the club in nn effort to prevent them taking their lives, and stop the spread of the suicide oraze.