The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1892-05-07
UNREQUITED Love.
Peter ROetti's Mysterious At.
tempt at Suicide.
He Claims to Be Married, but the Woman
Denies the Soft Impeachment-ssms
Singular Documents.

Peter Roctti decided late yesterday after
noon that death was sweeter than life, and
fired three shots at himself from bulldog
revolver. He now lies in the Receiving
Hospital in dying condition. Roetti is a
handsome Italian. He was employed as
clerk In the fruit and vegetable store at
1884 Fillmore street.. and according to nu-
merous letters found upon him loved we'll
but not wisely. One of the three balls
which he fired penetrated his left lung.
The other two plunged into the headboard
OF the bed on which he recllned when he
put bis desperate resolve into execution.
THE WOMAN IN THE CASE.
The woman in the case Is Mrs. Anita Bry-
son Of 90 Oak street. Roetti loved her to
distraction. On the table beside the bed on
winch he lay was a note addressed to "who-
ever may find my body" saying. ''please
write TO Anita Brys0n, ODD Oak street."
=, When brought TO the Receiving Hospital
the man was suffering intensely from bis
seH-lnlileted wound. He was able to talk
however, and batween his gasps stated that
10 months ago he had been married to Mrs.
BrySon, but the ceremony had been per-
formed IN secret on account of the
opposition of her father. They had quar-
reled recently because she told him that he
should cease bis attentions to her. This so
enraged him that he threatened to kill her.
A CURIOUS LIFE-PREsERvER.
she was frightened and, fearing that he
would carry out his threat, placed an aba
lone shell Ia her dress over her heart. On
wednesday night the frantic lover at
tempted 10 put his threat in execution. She
says that he then called upon her and at the
muZZle OF a pistol compelled her to write
the following letter:
SAN FRANCISCO. May ..
Dear Pdre1ltS l hope you VIII pardon me for
having walled SO long before writing / wish
you would not think hardly of me for the way
act. You know that your son and have been
married In secret against my fathers viii. II /
should say To my father that am married TO
poor man ne would send me out Of his house,
ana L would hud myself with my children in
the street, with no house, as my husband cannot
earn money enough TO support us all, wages
bSiDS so small in this country. / think we made
mistake 10 get married. and he so poor, es-
pecialy as Peter is sick half OF The time and
work Is so scarce. l am forced to live with my
rather. Your loving daughter, ANITA.
MRS. BRYsoN's STATEMENT.
Mrs. BryS0n says that the contents of this
letter have no foundation in fact She has
been married TO her present husband for
some time and therefore could not have be-
come the wife of Roetti She liked the
young Italian well enough, but the idea of
her having married him is preposler0us.
lhelr relations, however, must have been
quite cordial at some time during their ac-
quaintance. as ore of the letters found upon
him indicates. 1t reads:
hope yon will see that it Is impossible for us
TO be anything to each other hereafer. dead
love cannot be warmed into life l appeal TO
your manhood and honor TO let me alone can
Never have any happiness with you. / am sorry
for the past; sorry that you did not prove your
sell worthy OF my love. My heart IS dead. /
have been good friend 10 you in sickness, and
denied myself and little ones many comforts 10
aid you
CONTRADICTORY EVIDENCE.
In letters evidently written by him TO her
and returned he calls her his wife, and in
other epistles, supposed to be written by
her, she speaks of their marriage and the
necessity of keeping it quiet, because her
father would give her no further financial
assistance If be knew it.
ROetti was bleeding Internally at mid
night, and the physicians had no hope of
his recovery