The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1875-12-22
THE DEVILS DIARY.
A Fragmentary Story in a Melan-
choly Memoranda, and the
Sensational Sequel

VIOLENT ATTEMPT TO RAISE MONEY.
A ToMAHAwK SCENE IN THE PALACE HOTEL,
SAN FRANCIsCo-A CLERK LURED INTO
ROOM WITH $500.
The Alta Californian of the 4th inst. is
authority for this thrilling narratives:
There is now in the city prison young
man named s. w. Harrington, about 25
years of age, OF good address and superior
intelligence, who represents himself from
Mobile, Ala. He is detained
on charge of assault TO
the Palace Hotel. From the entries in q
memorandum book found upon him it is
supposed that disappointment in procuring
employment and the distress of poverty
drove him into the preparation of crime
with a view to raise money, his age and ap-
pesrance not tallyfng with the theory of his
being an experienced offender. He Is uD-
known to the police, nor is Ii known where
he came from. His diary runs back six
weeks or more, and few extracts will serve
to show the general tenor or the pitiful
record:
DEATH DESIRABLE.
Under date of November %, he says !:
"Would to God that were dead-thst had
died when an infant in my mothers arms.
! There is new ray of hope, but so dim and
uncertain as to be scarcely diseernible.
Must do such thing, so as to get money
to take me home to die? Necessity knows
no law!" Next follows a rather incoherent
entry about going to Oakland and his ar
| rival at the Palace Hotel That was on the
2Sth of November. He takes a bath, has
dinner, and is assigned to room $50, fourth
| floor, and speaks about meeting "tbe
1rwrrl TO- - T. L.
sible / have got so low, when I have
tried so hard to prevent it?" On the 18th
| the entry was: 'tSlept but little all night,
and feel hsggard and have pain in my
head. Met this beast (psrdon this slur on
the beast tribel, and he was so disagreeable
left him with but few words. Can not
raise the coin to-day, and am again floating
to Hades, / suppose. When these wear Y
bones are laid at rest-will it be rest, or will
the soul be tortured and forever dsmnedH
God pity mel remember of reading, when
but mere child, the story of a soldier who
died in the army, and his last words come
back to me so observation-disclosures, Thou
whose last act was to take a sinner unto
Theel'"
MUST HAVE MONEY OR PERISH.
November 30 the entry is: "The last day
of November and am penniless. To-day
has been dresry, rainy day. Fixed upon
/
what day may bring forth. If / die to-
morrow 1t will likely be by my own hand.
A suicide! What have done that deserve
such punishment" December 1: 81 tried
hard to get some money, but it can't be did.
Would to God 1 was dead. II i
bad only enough to carry me home,
| that L might die - die beside my
mother. OIL when will this end? L am
going to either get some money to take me
home, or else perish by my own hand, and
die. Yes, die, and 60 to 'Hades,'
sifted 1 would not be to blame,
1 don't think" The entries December I'd
are still more desponding:-"I guess have
done it now, and if don't succeed, why,
I'll send bullet through my heart and end
| this miserable existence. God knows i
would rather have gone to work if 1 could
have got it. My last hope of an
honest livelihood is gone. Home, sweet
home, will ever see you again? Wrote
to mother to day, received letter from her
yesterday. L think will take dose and
end my existence"
| MADNESS AND SUICIDE.
An unfinished letter, dated at the Palace
Hotel. November 80, supposed TO be in
tended for his mother, hints at better and
happier days; speaks of losing everything
through the dishonesty of stock gamblers
OF the impossibility OF getting employment
even as g brakeman on the railroad; of try
ing to force loan from a miser, and com.
hitting suicide through insanity in case OF
failure; of Deing in San Francisco under an
| assumed name, and a hundred other things
| showing state of mind wandering and
desperate. Following is copy:
PALACE HOTEL,
| SAN FRANCISCO, Nov. 80, 1876.
"MY DEAR MoTHER-I have not heard
from you for nearly two weeks and tonight
is rainy and my thoughts wander back
home. and can imagine see you all sittine
around the stove chatting gaily, and occa
sionally speaking of the 'wanderer'-wher
will he be home? / can not tell, fol
fortune does not smile on me as it has done
in days gone by. have lost everything ]
have or had through the dishonesty OF Lasor
and some stock gamblers. Yes, / am
beggar without a dime to my name, and
half imagine l am going mad. L can moi
think of anything 1 have done In my
younger days that 1 should merit such pun
, ishment. II you were not living / should
: end my life tonight, for life TO me has be
come living hell. If / could only ge
, employment would feel better; but, no
: IL Is impossible. 1 have tried and tried In
, vain. tried to get the position of brake
man on some freight train, but no, not ever
\ that; and IL tomorrow 1 should sttemp
3 to force a loan from sort OF a miser ant
should not succeed, and should end N,
{ own life, why, 1t would be because an
partially hereft of my reason. But If
should succeed I'll return the principal