Los Angeles daily herald., 1889-10-06
LOCAL MELANGE.
Suicide of a Young Man in a
Lodging House.
HE WAS TIRED OF HIS LIFE.
The Reform School Contract
Awarded-Other News of an
Interesting Nature.

A telephone message was received a
pelice headquarters about 7 80 last nigh
from Peter Hack to the effect that
man had just been shot at the ole
Arlington lodging-house on Commercia
street. Officers Huston and Vignes were
at once dispatched to the place in thu
patrol wagon, and on arrival there they
were conducted to room IA, whence the
sound of the shooting had emanated
On forcing open the door, the officers
found youth dressed in light brown
suit lying upon his back in the center oi
the floor. He was bleeding profusely
from his mouth and ears, which small
bole under his right jaw.bone readily
explained. AS he was still breathing,
the officers placed him upon the
stretcher as soon as possible and con-
veyed him to the Police Station, and DIR,
Wing was summoned. On lifting the in
jnred man from the floor to the
stretcher, Officer Huston found Colts
pistol of Al calibre with two empty
chambers, which he brought with him
and turned over to Chief Glass. The in
jured man was identified at the City Jail
as Eugene E. Willis, member of the
disreputable class dubbed "macs."
Within five minutes Of his being taken
to the station, and before Police Surgeon
DIR. Wing arrived Willis died, and Cor
oner Meredith, on being notified of the
occurrence, ordered the body to be re-
moved to the morgue.
Owing to statement made by Hack
to Officer Huston, to the effect that
youth had been seen running from the
direction OF the room Immediately after
the report of the shot, it was at first sur
missed that there was mystery attached
to the affair.
An examination of the dead mans
pockets, however, revealed the fact that
Willis had committed suicide, and had
premeditated the act for some days past,
for among his effects were two letters.
One of these, addressed to Orchard
Raggett, room 16, Occidental lodging
house, Main street, opposite the old
postoftice," and written upon paper with
the letter head of the Bureau saloon, ran
as follows:
"Los ANGELES, October 1, 1889.
.FRIEND DICK Il have had SO much trouble,
sickness. and have met with SO many reverses
lately lately that cannot stand it any longer. l am
act. But better commit most any act than to
suffer as have lately. Besides, am flnan-
cially wreck. Even If l should regain my
usual health, would never be strong enough
to work and earn my living, SO would almost
be forced to be. an obj: :ct Of charity, which L
never could endure. have your gun in my
have to make such use of it. but it cannot be
helped. Get my diamond collar-button from
that party ana keep it; alsos nay trunk and
do not have any bad luck, by the time you get
this will be ont Of my torture. Hoping to be
zen by you kindly, will close.
your friend E. e. WILLIS"
The other letter, addressed to "Miss
May Willis, fourth crib from corner Also
street, Alameda street," was dated Oc-
tober 9th, and it's six pages of writing
contained bitter upbraidings for the
heartless conduct Of the woman to whom
it was directed. An investigation of the
room occupied by Willis for the past
week, and from which he had been noti-
fed by the proprietor to leave, revealed
nothing but few medicine bottles and
the usual layout of a confirmed NOR
phine fiend.
The suicide, who has been in this city
for the past eight years, during the
greater part of which time he lived upon
the savings of woman named Minnie
Brown, had very unsavory reputation.
1t is alleged Of him that ten years ago,
when Deputy Treasurer of Sonora county,
he absconded with some $4,000 of the
county funds, and only escaped the peni-
tentiary by the payment of his thefts by
hls father, who was County Treasurer.
Since that time he has been mixed up
in various criminalities, sinking lower
and lower, until he reached the point
where life was no longer besrable.