Woman from "Restricted District" Commits Suicide

Reno, 1912

YOUNG WOMAN TIRES OF LIFE

After Filing Suit for Divorce She Takes Poison and Passes Away

At Time of Death Was Leading Miserable Life in This City

Bertha Manhart, a young woman who for some months past has been in a house in the restricted district, died in a local hospital last night from the effects of bichloride of mercury poisoning taken Saturday evening in the house in which she lived, and yesterday afternoon a woman of the same name filed a suit for divorce in the district court against Elmer L. Manhart. The attorneys for the woman who filed the suit state that they do not know whether their client is the same person who died last night or not, but friends of the dead woman state that she is the woman who filed the suit and that her husband resides in Salt Lake City or Chicago. They also state that she had a little daughter in Chicago living with her mother and that her sister, who is said to be a vaudeville artist, is on her way from Salt Lake City to Reno to take charge of the remains and to attend to the administration of her estate.

The woman came to this city about eight months ago and entered a house in the restricted district and it is said that she had two bank accounts in the city and that she also sent considerable money to the east. It has been stated that she is a native of Florida, but acquaintances who claim to know something of her life, state that she came to Reno from Salt Lake city and that prior to that time she was a resident of Chicago.

One of her friends stated this morning that the woman took mercury tablets Saturday evening and was taken to a local hospital and last evening death claimed her.

This morning the county physicians performed an autopsy on the body and tomorrow morning Coroner Lee J. Davis will hold an inquest when more facts concerning the unfortunate woman's life may become known. She was known in the tenderloin district as Margaret.

—Reno Evening Gazette, Reno, June 19, 1912, p. 1.

Two Illinois Girls Capture Wall Street, Polishing Boots

1903

GIRLS CAPTURE WALL STREET.

The Forest Sisters of Champaign, Ill., Polish the Brokers' Boots.

The very newest get-rich-quick concern that ever struck New York was launched in Wall street recently by two pretty young girls from Champaign, Ill. Marie and Belle Forest, two sisters, one 18 years old, the other two years her senior, invaded the field just before the bulls and bears had begun to shout their wares on 'change. These two enterprising maidens, both attractive brunettes, with the red rose bloom of country on their cheeks and smiling mischievously, were busy all day distributing tickets bearing the following legend throughout Wall, Beaver, News and Broad streets:

"This entitles the holder to one shine at the Eagle tonsorial parlor, No. 71 Wall street, on Monday, March 2."

At first the brokers and kings of finance turned to them the real icy countenance. "Don't want any women canvassers," was the answer the Illinois girls had in the offices.

By and by it was learned that the maidens were endeavoring to earn an honest living by shining shoes, and that, too, with dainty white hands. Then "the street fell." Before noon a thousand tickets had been paid for at 10 cents each, and the question now is, how are Belle and Marie going to keep the contract?

What they offer is to shine for one day the boots of every customer who enters the barber shop at No. 71 Wall street. While Marie is at one foot Belle proposes shining up the other.

"I'll just tell you how it was," said the latter, as she spread out fifteen tickets, fanshape, for speedy purchase by gallant brokers in the consolidated exchange. "Marie and I just came from Champaign and we had a notion to start a manicure parlor here. Everybody seems to get rich in this place. We thought it would be easy to earn an honest living.

"But in about three weeks we had not found a thing to do, and our funds were on the last ebb. We were living then in West Twenty-ninth street, right in the Tenderloin district, and the things we saw there just fairly sickened us."

"'Marie,' I said one day, when we did not know whether to have dinner or breakfast, for we were having but one meal per day, 'I'll do any mortal thing rather than live like these women around here. Ill black boots.'

"'Well, just that,' Marie said, 'let's black boots,' and now you know it all. We're going to be on hand next Monday bright and early, practice up in the meantime, and I'll bet we make a lot. Just see the way they're buying tickets."

—Davenport Daily Republican, Davenport, Iowa, March 5, 1903, page 2.