St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1886-04-05
DID NOT WANT TO LIVE.
A Sad and Touching story of n Mar
ried Mans Unhappiness.
An Arrest That Probably Prevented
a Suicide In st. Paul.
A Sad story,

night by Officer Hopping, charged with an
assault upon his wife Mrs. Nj. Ii. Douglass,
with a dangerous weapon. Ii appears
Douglass went to his wife's place of bust
ness. up stairs over No. West Third
street, and, according 10 her story to Chief
Clark, drew revolver upon her and at
tempted to shoot her. She was In CON-
pany with an attorney and demanded her
husbands arrest, as she feared he might
take her life, and said he would have sue
ceeded but for the interference Of the ser
want. Douglass has lost his hand
and Is a painter by occupation. TO re-
porter of the GLOBE he denied that he had
made any attempt upon the wOman's life.
| He said he had called upon the woman at
her millinery store, and asked 10 speak to
her. She refused at first to talk with him.
except In the presence of a servant, but
finally consented. He had his hand in his
pocket, toying with several keys, and when
he drew IL out. the woman exclaimed:
Hes got q revolver" and left the house.
The man related long, sad, and some
what sensational story. He said he had
never been legally married 10 the woman.
and that when they began living together
the woman had not yet secured divorce
from former husband, though an applica-
/
husky voice OF his love for the woman and
OF her harsh treatment Of his two little
girls. He said they had not lived
pleasantly together since last fall,
when they quarreled and he had
/ struck her. 1t was apparent
from the mans manner that he had been
infatuated with her, for his voice grew
thick as he spoke of their life together. and
he almost wept when he told OF the trouble
that separated them for a time. He spoke
intelligently and without hesitation.
From some letters found at the place
where Douglass was arrested. il appears
that the officers came none too soon TO Sc
cure their man. Driven by love and de-
spair, it seems that he was about to end his
own life. Acting upon that determination,
he proceeded to address has friends. The
letters were four in number-two to his
wife. one to his mother and another to
friend i'm Wisconsin. In the letters he
takes the blame for the trouble upon him
self, and dweils in passionate terms on his
| love for the woman.
HE WAS SAYING GooD-BY.
he sat alone in his room, still writing.
when Officer Hopping arrested him and
prevented him from cOnsunating his ayowed
purpose. Portions of the first letter to his
wife are as follows:
| ST. PAUL, April 4.-Hallie: 1 am about to
depart for that unk4oEn world which no man
knows-a step in the dark into an unknown
future know you want to be free aud this
| is the only way can free you. WHAT il will
| be l know not. ] cannot be any unhappIer
| there. l have { led TO live justly aud
| honestly, although circumstances over which
| 1 have had no control made IL look aud seem
otherwise. You have wronged me in man,
| thingS-have mis- judged me IN many. That
| have MrOnued Won is also lrua Rut In tho
| great Judgment day when things are made
clear, you will find that Charlie mas been more
sinned against than he has sinued. L hope
you will be happy in the days TO come. For
get meas if our hfe's path
had never crossed, and we had
never walked and lived side by side.
Halhe, forgive me. What difference
does few years make? To live would only
be death in life. Icannot sleep-cannot eat.
Life is death by inches. DO you know what
despair isg Can you understand it-hoping
against hope, loving but not loved2 Halle,
| shall soon be before my Maker TO be judged.
He knows all, sees all of the past. He may
pity and forgive. Oh, nv Godl when 1 think
of the SIN / have committed for you, / am
| driven crazy. If / could only forget You
have made my little ones orphans and Hollie
| you know we killed my wife as surely as IL
| we had run knife through her heart. Live
and repent. And. now. goodbye, my wife.
| for in the sight of God YOU were my wife
| God bless you, and some day, if il be Gods
will. will meet you on the shore IN that and
| where there is no pain, no sorrow, no tears
and when you see me know me as / am. Our
lives wild be again united, and peace and Joy
viii be ours forever more. CHARLIE.
TO A FRIEND.
The following had also been written:
ST. PAUL, April 4, lSs6.-Mr ID. G. Fulton.
Hudson, wis.-Kind friend: 1t was always
| TO you came. IN time OF trouble and need
and you never turned away from me. l will
ask one more favor of ou-my last. Grant
| this and God will reward you. Will you take
| charge of my re mains and see that / am
| buried beside my wife and children at Hud-
son. have enough furniture TO pay the ex-
| peuses. There is a chattel mortgage OF 81
against them, held by Mr.. Roberts, corner
of oWabasha aud Fifth streets, up stairs
| Will you look after my two poor little ones
and get them a good home in some good, kind
Christian family You know my life. nave
always tried TO live honestly. No one can bring
the charge against me OF being a cruel man,
| although Tor the love of one i have siuned,
ana for that we both will have to answer
| For her lost home, wife and all and to-day
am wanderer, yet | hold no blame to her.
will take all the blame upon myself in this
and in the next world. God viii be the Judge.
Once more beg You TO LOOK after my two
darling Hide girls, and take me to Hudson, II
| only ia pine box. IL matters not. ] think
i would rest better by the side of my poor
wronged wife. Yet was always kind to her.
and it is to my credit up above. On, IL HoIie
had never crossed my path might have a
wife and happy home now, but IL was not
TO be. thank you for all the kindness you
have shown me in the past Do not judge me
too hard. not the Charlie that used TO be-
but n man heart-broken, with an aching
brain. Weary with life's struggles, L wish
to rest. Once more grant me my prayer.
CHARLES DOUGLASS
His letter to his mother was touching
one, in which he told her that life had lost
all its JOY, and that he had nothing but dis
appointments. In closing he says he has
many things to answer for, but the greatest
is that he sends his own soul TO meet its
maker. He closes this as follows:
Oh. my life, my eoul where will you be
when yonder sun wall rise againS To close
my eyes and step into the dark is not all-no,
not all. Mother, keep from the little ones ali
you can about me. Oh, my little darlings,
IL is hard TO give you up. Good bye.
CHARLIE
But the sun rose and the surrowiny
mans life had not fed; the step had not
been taken. and when his eyes closed last
night 1t was not in their eternal sleep.
Officer Hopping came just in time.