The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1888-11-20
SPLENDIDSUITS
N
BARRIERS REM0RSE
Being Lured Into Marriage by on Adventur-
esS, lie Ends His Career by Suicide.

LocKPoRT, n. Y, Nov. l9-Fred Barber. Of
Sheffield, England. who committed suicide at
Suspension Bridge, Friday night last, came to
the Prospect Hotel. on the lith inst, with q
woman giving the name OF Mary Patterson Hill,
and later 10 the evening was married to her by
Rev Mr.. Stowitt, q Presbyterian clergyman Of
the Falls. They were believed to have then
gone to Hamilton, from which place Barber re-
turned to the bridge alone on Friday night. and
shot himself, as reported. The following letter,
which was found In his satchsl. and which was
produced at the coroner's inquest on Saturday,
shows that Barber wac infatuated with the
woman, but that he could not legally marry her:
Nov. l3.-My Dearest; True yet. although this
will be, l nog feel, the last time l shall ever dare 10
address you SO. 1 can't trust myself to see you again,
as my heart overcomes my head and makes me say
and promise things which ve both know are inpossi
Die. unless We count on certain ruinip this world.
Up to my landing in this country, i was On honorable
man. Since then l have been a dishonor-
able fool in my intercourse with you. Had
l sense to see the drift of your letters, l
would have realized that you wished to put som ething
to me and make me understand that what we wished
for could not be. On Saturday you were straight and
honorable, and l could not See It. Since then you
have given me the opportunity over and over again to
say l would Withdraw nv attentions, and even last
night you were straight and true. In your presence l
am unable TO think OF anything but yourself.
L Cduu lOOh IN bDy Oluct ultcCtlOu. " kuOW
and l know well, that any ceremony that we might go
through as a marriage would be illegal. either here or
at home. What is the use. then, of putting ourselves
IN Q more equivocal position than at present. There
Is some arrangement, you tell me, at present with
your friend In Montreal, for your going homo again.
Be iG SO. He is q man of true thought. and l feel my
self, compared to him. q worm. l have thought my
self sincere (tiod help me, where is the sipcerityD
l have no right to address you; you are superior to
rae. both in tn ught and action. and everything else;
| keep thinking from your having my letters all tied
mp that you had made up YOUR mind 20
this, and intended ii should be so.
Forget m, Po,lie. Wipe me cut as NOT worthy 10 tie
yonr shoes. feel IL so. l won't persecuJo You again,
but shall look Upon IL rs an honor to be able to do
anything | can for you at anv time, if you wish it. l
God knows it has been without thought of being SO.
and yet 1 can now see what l has Q done. l can also
see that after my vacillating conduct of yesterday you
could not respect me IS a man of moral courage and as
one YOU could look up TO. This all seems well, and 1
feel L have done you wrong. Forgive me IL YOU can,
but our loving intercourse shall cease. and then per-
haps you will be able to look up to the man whom l
feel / have wronged horribly. Punishment will over
take me, and | deserve it. and shall not try to
run away from it. You asked me for your letters,
which have, during the last three months, brought \
comfort to me L cannot describe. AID | am in honor
bound TO comply with your request. have not slept
ell night, am sick, and don't know what to do. / dare
not see you. Break this of, for Gods sake, and our
own happiness. What we proposed to do would only
bring more unhappiness than we have ever expert
enced. ! cannot say more; but to legally marry we
cannot. and the other way means destruction 10 our
selves and our children, whatever we may think when
we are talking to one another.
Goodbye. God bless you, my darling. Still your
own loving FRED.
Some Toronto gentlemen who have known
Barber for q year past, and who came to the
Bridge after the suicide. thought him a widower.
but Coroner Cornell understands that he had q
wife living IN England. His view Is consistent
with the foregoing letter, which was not mailed,
and IL Is believed that his remorse over being
lured into = marriage with the Hill woman i'm
PEELED him to suicide The HILL woman has dis
appeared. and no one at the Bridge knows any
thing about her.
The woman whom Fred Barber married on
Wednesday. but two days before he killed him.
self, and who gave her name as Mary Pattison
Hill. turns out TO Do identical with a dissolute
woman Of this city known as Polly Bredin. She
has been for 1--WE years past living in various
houses. There can be no doubt that il was the
discovery Of the disgraceful connection hs had
unwillinely formed that drove Basber to suicide,
Polly Bredin 10 handsome aud well educated,
and contrived to thoroughly dups Barber. Her
identity was discovered owing TO her claiming
the body Of her alleged husband.