Myrtle Brocee (1879 – 1898)

Myrtle Brocee was born on a farm in Ontario. She came to Dawson with her sister Florence during the gold rush. They had been in Chicago and Victoria and then became well known as dancers at Dawson’s Tivoli Theatre. She lived with Harry Woolrich, one of the famous gamblers in town. She was sick for three weeks with flu and a fever and then shot herself with a .32 calibre Smith and Wesson pistol. There were many rumours about the cause of her death/suicide and Florence hired a lawyer to protect her sister’s reputation and declare that she was temporarily insane when she committed suicide. Myrtle had a weakness for alcohol, but numerous miners at the inquest vouched for her virtue although more than a few had shared her bed.¹⁾