Allegheny County PA Archives- Obituaries: Devine, Mattie, 31 Aug 1888 Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by: Martha Little, , Oct 2011 Copyright 2011. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/allegheny/ ________________________________________________ from The Pittsburgh Commercial Gazette Dated Saturday, September 1 1888 (page 6): Mattie DEVINE, employed at Able's Union restaurant, committed suicide last night a few minutes before 12 o'clock. She was ----- -- years old and had only been working at Able's for about three weeks. Her mother lives on Second avenue near Grant street. She seemed in excellent spirits last night. She went into the laundry about 10 o'clock and was laughing and joking with the other girls. She took a powder from her pocket and said that a doctor had given it to her and wondered if it would kill her. She then poured the powder into a glass of water and drank it. Shortly afterwards she went ----- girls from on the top floor of the building and was taken violently ill. A doctor was sent for, but he arrived too late. It was impossible to find out what the powder contained. from The Pittsburgh Press dated Saturday, September 1 1888 (page 2): The coroner will hold an inquest at 4 o'clock this afternoon in the case of Mary DEVINE, a waitress in the Abel's dining room on Union street, who died at an early hour this morning from the effects of a powder which she took for cramps. Her parents reside at 160 Water street, and say she had a lover who deserted her. from The Pittsburgh Commercial Gazette dated Monday, September 3 1888 (page 2): At the inquest on the body of Mary DEVINE on Saturday afternoon, George CLARK, a clerk at ----- ------- drug store, testified that he had sold the girl Epsom salts, but nothing more. The inquest developed the fact that the girl had been unfortunate. A thorough examination of the stomach will be made and ---------- evidence given at the inquest which was continued until Thursday morning. from The Pittsburgh Commercial Gazette dated Friday, September 7 1888 (page 2): At the inquest on the body of Mary DEVINE, who died Friday night, Drs Oldshue and Moyer and expert chemists testified to the finding of a large quantity of epsom salts and aluminum in the stomach, and that the ------------ were that death was due to an overdose of these drugs. A verdict of death from the effects of an overdose of drugs administered by her own hand was rendered. NOTES: Parents appear to be John and Catherine DEVINE. If this is the correct family, then Mary was born in New York about 1862.