St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1888-03-09
SENSATIONAL SUICIDES.
a Married Man and His Mistress Kill
Themselves.
THEY SOUGHT A NEW WORLD,
Because in This They Could Not
Live the Life They
Wished to.

the japanese building, 243 State street,
this morning. About o'clock the jan
itOr noticed light in the rooms oecu-
pied by the manicure establishment of
Mrs. Cobb, and as this was an unusual
circumstance at that hour he forced his
way into the place and found the corpse
of Miss Oracle McCullen, the manager
of the manicure rooms, seated in a
chair. From friends of Miss McCullen
it was learned that she was very much
excited yesterday on reading of the sui
eide of w. s. Hartwell, at 17S North
State street, and it is thought she may
have brOOded over the affair until she
resolved to take her own life. Miss Nc
Cullen came here from Milwaukee. The
developments at the inquest were
Of most sensational character.
1le suicide was in pursuance
with an agreement made with
William S. Hartwell, the man who shot
himself in a bath tub yesterday. Miss
McCullen came here from Milwaukee
six years ago and entered Hartwell's
house as domestic. Hartwell and his
wife did not get along well and the
young servant maid and her employer
fell in love with each other. She left
the house when this condition of things
was developed and entered the employ
of Marshall Field & Co. Last NOvem-
Der Mrs. Cobb came on from New York
and engaged Josie as manager OF her
parlor. In the meantime Hartwell and
she met, and the night before last ar
ranged to leave the world together. The
suicides were to take place simultane-
OuSly at 6 O'Clock last evening. While
Miss McCullen was engaged OH lady's
hand, about that hour, she received a
note from Hartwell beginning: "My
Own, Own Darling" and telling her OF
his suicide. She told neighbor in the
same business, Mrs. Rupert, the whole
promise that she would do nothing
wrong" and that she would be in that
room in the morning."
On the desk within arms length of
where the poor girls body was, were
found two letters, sealed and addressed.
One was addressed to Mrs. Mary E.Cobb,
&C West Twenty-third street, New York
city," The other bore the address OF
the suicides sister. The two misSives
lay on a torn sheet of common note
paper on which was written the follow
ing brief but expressive words:
Il die true to the resolution | made to
my best friend. l die with him.
|. MCCULLUM.
Telegraph to Mrs. Cobb"
This message was addressed to no one
in particular, and, from the scrawly
looking characters in black ink, must
have been written after she had taken
the poison. On the carpet near
the center table lay an open
letter wrapped about the photo,
graph of a man, handsome and
wearing full beard. 1t was the pic
ture of William S. Hartwell, eX-freight
auditor of the Northwestern railroad,
who committed suicide yesterday
morning by shooting himself. That
told the story. 1t was not even neces-
sary to read the letter. 1t was in Mr.
Hartwell's own hand writing and read
as follows:
Chicago, March Dear Josie: Per
hapS when you receive this | will be
gone. Be the brave, courageous, noble
woman that you always have been and
remember our pledge. Yours affection
ately, WILLIAM S. HARTWELL.
What there may be back of these few
but suggestive facts is as easily mag
returned verdict that Miss McCullen
taken with a suicidal intent.
The following story of Hartwel's sui
eide is taken from the Chicago Times of
yesterday:
civilian Stanley Hartwell, fOrty-fve
years old, late freight auditor of the
Chicago & Northwestern railway, wrote
his wife an affectionate farewell letter,
sat down in the bath-tub in his home at
No. 179 North State street, and sent a
bullet through his brain. The breath
of life was out of his body before those
who heard the report of the shot could
reach his side. 1t is claimed that Hart
well took his own life because he was
out of employment and in financial dis
tress. He was born at Monroe, Mich,
and spent about twenty-five years of the
best part of his life in the service of the
Northwestern road. Beginning as a
clerk in the freight department, he was
steadily advanced till eight OF nine years
ago, when he was made freight auditor.
His salary was about $4,000 year. Last
October he voluntarily resigned, saying
that he was tired out and was possessed
of sufficient means to enable him to
take rest. Regarding him as one of
their most faithful and competent men,
the officials of the company urged him
repeatedly to reconsider his resignation,
but he was resolved to quit. He said
he was worn out and would try and Sc
cure less arduouS work in some other
branch of business. In recognition of
his loyal service the company paid him
his salary up to Jan. 1. At the coroner's
inquest yesterday afternoon Mrs.
with grief. 1t was about 10:40 a. m.
when the tragedy occurred. Be
tween her sObs she said: 81 know of
no reason why my husband should end
his life, except that he had been de-
pressed about being out of employment
for several months. That, | think,
preyed on his mind and drove him in
sane. He had been overwOrked for
many years, and it broke him down
completely. His health, otherwise, was
very good His money was about all
used up, and he worried because he
knew not where more was coming from.
He did not drink to excess or gamble at
all. His habits were regular. Last
night he came home to bed shortly after
II O'Clock and agreed to go down town
shopping with me to-day. He arose late
and went to breakfast. When he re-
turned about 1890 he took Off his hat
and coat, and l asked him if he was
ready to go shopping. be said yes he
would be in a minute. Then he went
down on the first floor to the closet, and
l heard the sound of shot. His life
was insured for $1,000 in council No. 232
of the National union-s2,000 to go to
his wife and the other half to his father,
w. d. Hartwell, of Springfield, Mass.
Mrs. George A. VrOman, who lives on
the same floor where the shooting oc-
Cured, found the body and notified me
and she handed me the farewell letter
he left" A day or two ago Mrs. Hart
we'll applied to the Northwestern COM
pany for pass to take her over the
road. The day before yesterday Hart
well packed his trunk with clothing,
jewelry and keepsakes and shipped it
to his friends in the East. He had no
children. The fatal shot entered above
the right ear and passed through the
head. The c0rOner'S jury decided that
he shot himself while In q fit of nalan=