Los Angeles herald., 1891-12-28
Two LOvesick Children Take
a Fatal Step.
The Lover Succeeds in His
Dire Purpose.
A Bright Young Journalist Ends His
Life at Its Beginning.
A Dread Discovery Mt the Ramona-T The
Charming Bride Saved at Deaths
Threshold-DetaiIs of
the Tragedy.


Cured yesterday, before the very echoes
of Christmas gladness had lost them
selves. "A young man, almost boy
bright, intellectual, with many hopefu
prospects, though all may not have
been brilliant. had yielded to mysteri
GUS weakness, and given up in the battle
of life. Yet in this dreaiul purpose ht
feared to stand alone, and he had led, to
accompany him, sweet girl in the
bloom of developing womanhood. His
companion, with all the faith which fret
love places in its object went with hei
youthful lover to the very Threshold OF
life. There, when her boy-companion'e
soul had already passed beyond, succor
came at the last moment, and she will
be brought back to continue, it is hoped
with courage, the struggle which an evil
moment had caused her to give up.
At half-past 2 O'clock yesterday after
noon w. Bert MacGregor and his girl.
bride, Leah Benjamin, were found lying
fully-dressed and apparently lifeless on
a bed in room 81 of the Ramona,
at the corner OF Third and Spring
streets. They were locked in
each others embrace, and when
physicians arrived in answer to the
alarm, the young man was found beyond
human aid, while the young woman
only showed the faintest signs of life
On the mantel in the room stood two
empty one-eighth ounce vials which had
contained sulphate of morphia, and
therein lay the explanations of the means
the suicides had employed. Two empty
glasses on the dressing-case further tes-
titled to the nature of the case.
DIR. Westlake was the first medical
men to arrive on the scene, he having
been called by Clerk Burns of the hotel,
The physician expressed little hope OF
saveing the young woman's life, but went
heroically to work, and soon was joined
in his noble efforts by DR..
Boyd, and later by DR.. Weldon,
the coroner. Every scientific means
known for resuscitation in a case OF
morphine poisoning was employed, and
iuasmuch as those means involve con-
siderable physical labor, it should be
mentioned to the honor of these men of
science, that they labored for hours be-
fore they were rewarded by even hope
of success. They persisted, however,
and were happy when at 10 o'clock last
night they were able to pronounce their
patient at last out OF danger.
The story of the young couple is a
short one, and is drawn according to an
old model. w. Bert McGregor was a
young newspaper man, bright writer
and clever reporter, who came to the
coast from his home in Chicago several
years ago. His father is wealthy
iron manufacturer in the Lake city,
and is member of the worlds
fair commission. MacGregor had a
sister here, Mrs. Charles D. Willard,
the wife of the secretary of the chamber
of commerce, and when he became ill
and change of climate became neces-
sary, he naturally came to Los Angeles.
During the last few years he has alter
nately been connected with the staff
of the HERALD and with that of the San
Diego Sun. Two months ago he left
the HERALD and became local CORE
spondent of the Los Angeles Times at
San Bernardino, Redlands, Riverside
and the neighborhood.
While engaged in local journalism he
became acquainted with Miss Leah Ben
jamin, the young and charming sister of
Ben Benjamin, the we'll known racing
writer, and the young people at once
conceived for each other strong regard,
which soon developed into deep afiec-
ton. MacGregor proposed and was
accepted, but the mother of the young
girl objected to the marriage Of the
couple, though only on account of the
extreme youth of Leah, who had not
yet attained her 18th year.
The young people were weak enough
to consider these circumstances of fatal
import, and after a long time spent in
mutual COMMUNICATION, became desper-
ate through their own abnormal and un-
founded misgivings. MacGregor repeat
edly spoke of eloping with the girl. and
it appears that couple OF months ago
he persuaded her really to go with him
to neghboring town and there marry
him. She then returned to her home,
but having always been conscientious
and dutiful, it was hard for her to bear
the strain.
MacGregor himself had few insig
nificant business troubles, and 80 all
things seemed to combine to induce the
young couple take the fatal step.
MACGREGoR's s LETTERS.
On the table in the room where the
dead body of MacGregor and the almost
lifeless Ebody ot his bride were discov-
cred, there lay four letters. The first
onS was addressed to the coroner, aid
read as follows:
Los ANGELES, Dec. 26, 1891.
DR.. Weldon, Coz on sr Los Angeles county:
DEAR SIR: There is no need of autop-
sizes in this. case, and you will greatly
oblige us if you will omit them. We
will return the favor when we get
chance. You see it is plain case. Fill
in the blank this way: Mrs. Leah Mac
Gregor, aged II, native of Australia; w.
Bert MacGregor, aged "a, native of Illi-
nois; came to their death by the use OF
morphine, taken with suicidal intent.
Do us this favor Git lies in your power to
do so) and we will watch over your in
terests if we are 80 situated that 1--WE can.
We think you can satisfy the jury with
out doctors as witnesses.
w. BERT MACGREGoR.
The second letter was addressed to
Ben Benjamin, although it seems that
Leah had begun it to her mother. 1t
reads:
Los ANGELES, Cal.
10 MY Darling Mother.
Try hard to forgive your SHINING child.
Don't mourn for me. NY secret was
more than / could bear, and God only
knows 1 did it for the best. Say good
bye to my darling little brothers. Kiss
them for me. Tell Sara goodbye and
kiss her for me. Kiss the baby, the
little Darling.
Rarnav. I can't think-of Nav. God