TWO SUICIDES ON A LINER.

Bush Advocate, Volume XXI, Issue 282, 2 June 1909, Page 8

TWO SUICIDES ON A LINER.

An extraordinary tragedy at present unexjilained occurred.on the Cunard liner Lucania during lier voyage from New York, says a Liverpool paper of April. Two ladies, both unmarried, who were travelling second class, committed suicide hy shooting themselves in their cabins. The Cunarcl -officials suggest there was no connection between the occurrences, which are said to have occurred on ■the Bth and 12th of April. As to further particulars, beyond the" factthat the passengers were American ladies, absolute- silence is preserved. Both ladies were promptly buried at sea, so that there can bo no coroner's inquiry into the circumstances. The Lucania sailed from New York on Wednesday, and arrived in Liverpool at 8 o'clock on the Wednesday following. She disembarked her passengers and mails as usual, and nothing was said about any unusual incident of the voyage until a passenger later in the day happened to let the. secret out. The- motive for double suicide is, of course, a mystery. The Lucania had been only one day at sea when the first suicide was dis-cov-cod, one of the ladies being found dead in her cabin shot. The victim had already been given ocean iMirial hy the captain, when the second passenger was found lifeless, under similar circumstances, and was also committed to the deep. The second lady was present when the first body wa.s buried. She appeared, it is stated, greatly distressed, so much .so tliat it is regarded as! possible tliiit the first suicide upset her mental balance and induced tlu> J tragic sequence.