Omaha daily bee., 1889-05-23
SUICIDE OF A HOTEL CLERK.
Charles v. Harris, of the Arcade,
Shoots Himslf.
A CASE OF uNREQUiTeD LOVE.
He Had Conferred His Affections on a
Woman Who erused TO Sec
HIM Even on His
Dying Bed.
A CASE OF uNREoUireo LOVE

Charles V. Harris. night clerk at the Ar
cade hotel, attempted suicide at 10; 80 o'clock
last night by shooting himself.
Love affairs have not been running
smoothly with him.
Miss Vena Wells. seventeen years Of age
who resides Mt 1lt3 North Saunders street,
is the woman in the case.
"Tll never marry anybody else," ejacu-
lated the night clerk while on duty in speak
ing TO bell boy who was leaning against
the counter of the Office
Just then, while ten or dozen guests were
sitting around the lobby reading newspapers
and writing letters, the report Of pistol
was heard. Everybody jumped up in great
excitement To their surprise II was found
that Harris had shot himself He had placed
a revolver, which discharged a 3S.calbre
ball. to his left breast and fired. He i'm
mediately dropped TO the floor behind the
desk. The ball from the pistol entered his
body an inch below the left nipple and
passed clear through, coming out under the
left shoulder blade. IL missed his heart
only by small fraction of an inch
The report of the pistol caused great SEN
salion in the hotel, and in few moments
the day clerk c. II. Stanberry, rushed down
stairs. He saw Harris lying on the floor.
''Take this letter to Vera" gasped the
dying man.
A sealed envelope containing letter, ad-
Saunders street, was handed to the day
clerk.
II have shot myself or her account, and
wrote this letter before did it. Take it or
send for her.n
Clerk Stanberry took the letter and dis
patched a messenger boy to her residence,
instructing her to come to the hotel at once
as her lover was dying.
Harris was removed from the office to q
room on the first floor, and several phy ysi
rinnS SlmmOpni His wound spl
and he was given stimulants to keep him
alive until the arrival of the young lady.
She never came. The eplstle was de-
livered, but she refused to see her dying
lover.
Harris has been employed at the Arcade
since May l. He went to the hotel we'll
recommended. He stated that he had no
relatives, on earth, but had become
enamored Of Vera, while in the
employ of her mother, Mrs.
o. X Wells, who conducted restaurant at
1878 Davenport street. about year ago.
Since then Mrs Wells moved her restaurant
TO South Omaha, and Harris went with her.
He was evidently very much in love with
Mrs. Wells daughter, and since he has been
employed at the hotel he has been daily
visitor at the Wells residence Tho girl, it
is said, Tilted HIM. This broke his heart, and
he wanted to jump into the depths of the
great unknown. He was a member of the
First Presbyterian church, and at O'Clock
this morning the Rev. DR.. w. j. Harsha Wis
tied him, Harris told the reverend
gentleman that he had perhaps
done wrong, but did not regret
his rash act. Life was not worth living
without Vena, and she had told HIM she
cared nothing for him. Harris had visited
her yesterday afternoon, and her reply
caused his despondency.
The physicians stated at late hour that
Har3is could not live until daylight.
DR.. D. Gibbs, of this city, has resigned his
position as assistant surgeon of tho Union
Pacific, and leaves this morning for his fu-
ture home at Crawford, Neb.