1877 Drowning of Neecy Hardin of Ouachita Parish Louisiana

Submitted for the Union Parish Louisiana USGenWeb Archives by T. D. Hudson, 8/2001



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1877 Drowning of Neecy Hardin of Ouachita Parish Louisiana

From the "Ouachita Telegraph", issue of Friday, 7 September 1877, page 3, column 2
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                               Suicide by Drowning. 

Neecy Hardin, a poor young white woman, came to this city, something over a year 
ago from Union parish.  She sought and obtained employment as a house servant. 
During the time, it is said, she went astray, assumed the alias of Ethel Hunt, and 
finally abandoned work. Her fall went on rapidly, until her life ended by drowning 
in the river Saturday night.  Her remains were discovered at the wharfboat, Monday 
morning, by Mr. Head of the wharfboat. On the feet were a pair of very small gaiters 
tightly laced, the hair had been carefully combed and confined with a large band-comb, 
and a pair of merino gloves were on the hands. The other apparel was the best that 
Ethel's wardrobe could furnish. 

Coronor (sic) Surghnor held an inquest on the body, and it was fully established 
that is was the body of Ethel Hunt.  The Jury decided, after investigation, that 
death was not the result of violence but of voluntarily drowning.  We have examined 
the testimony, much of which is irrelevant and some of which not admissible in our 
columes (sic), and find that the verdict is in accordance with the facts sworn to. 

Ethel was living with Mr. R. Miller, assisting his wife who was sick.  Late Saturday 
evening she dressed herself neatly and went out in town. About 8 o'clock Mr. Hoggard, 
the ferryman, heard hallowing at the ferry landing on this side, and very soon heard 
some screams. It was thought that a policeman was making an arrest, and the cries 
were not responded to. At the point whence the cries proceeded the river is not more 
than four feet deep some 15 feet from the water's edge.  There was no boat, raft or 
log to jump from, and the "poor unfortunate," deliberately importunate, must have 
waded into the stream and ended her sad existence in this way.  She has relatives, 
we understand, in Union parish.  Her remains were interred in the Monroe Cemetery. 

The way of the transgressor, it is said, is hard, but with none harder than with 
dissolute females. Three deaths of such characters by suicide we have recorded in 
a little over a year. The listen; hesitate, are lost, and then Death, too tardy 
in his natural pace, is wooed and wed with a pistol, morphine or some other agency 
of violence, and the two, spectacles for the gaze of the curious and the vulgar, 
go to the potter's field for a permanent home.  The blame is not all theirs, but 
alas!  The punishment usually is."



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