The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1893-06-28
DEATHS DIVORCE.
The Grim Reaper Issues
the Decree.
FRED G. VAN PELT'S SAD END
The Son of an Eminent New York
Jurist Victim CT Chloroform.
Cheeky Silarp's" WiIes.

MOrgue, and an autopsy WIFI Dc nelQ 10
ascertain whether his death was accidental
or suicidal
He was found dead in his bed at 121
Montgomery street yesterday afternoon
with towel saturated with chloroform
thrown over his face.
The landlady, Mrs. McInnis, says that
Van Pelt engaged the room one week ago
yesterday and paid the rent in advance.
He instructed her to allow no one to enter
it, On the following Thursday morIiug
the Chinese who is employed as a bed
maker In the house told her that something
was wrong with her new IoOmer, and upon
entering his room she found him under the
influence of chlOl oform. She asked DR..
J. K. Davidson, whose Office is on the frs
floor, to 90 up and see him, but he declined,
advising her to send for the patrol wagon
ard have the man taken to the Receiving
Hospital. AS Van Pelt had paid his rent
she did not care to put him away, and in
few hours he recovered. In two days she
found that he had made away with between
thirty-ejght ana forty ounces OF the drug.
She at once sent word to the different drug
gists IN the locality asking them not 10
supply Van Pelts messengers with the
drug. He wrote out his own prescriptions
and sent them to druggists by a messenger.
On Friday Van Pelt called on DR.. David
son, and the physician says hat his ap
pearance showed that he had been in
dulging in some narcotic. He told the
doctor that he had oeen taking chlOrnfoTm
for neuralgia in his stomach, and that he
had been several days without food. He
obtained some money from the doctor aud
also borrowed few dollars from the
landiady.
MR.. McInnis last saw Van Pelt alive on
nd no a ri OF
III had obtained money from some source,
as IN his room yesterday a bottle Of chloEo-
form with, only about an ounce out of it
was found, and in his pockets were 81 and
some cents.
Morphine fends are quite common. but
a chlorofoTm tiend is rarity. Everything.
however, pOInts 10 the conclusion that
Van Pelt was one.
The Coroner took charge of the de-
ceaSed's personal effects and removed them
to the MOrgue. Among them were found
a large number of letters and other docu-
ments from which the novelist could find
all the material necessary for powerful
and thrilling story.
In The CALL of June 6 an article ap-
pPared. describing the visit Of Van Pet's
deserted young wife, with her SjX-mOntns-
old baby in her arms, to the Russ House
on the previous day in search OF her tTuant
husband.
lHtN hhu DotH ilNlUR III housekeeping
rooms on Fifth street, Santa Rosa, rented
from Mrs. Pope for a few months, during
which Van Pelt had been employed rs
bUokkeeper in NJ. Princes store, and after
ward worked for CaritherS 81 Forsyth.
During most of this time he had drunk
heavily and while under the influence of
liquor tire ted his young wife cruelty. At
one time he had deiirium tTemens for
week and a t another time he took chloro-
form with suicidal intent,
On Monday, May 20, Van Pelt left
Santa Rosa and came on to this city. That
evening he wrote the following letter from
toe Russ House to Mrs Pipe:
1t really pains me to pen these few lines to
you, but you cannot probably understand my
circumstances. My domestic life Is cert tnly a
very unhappy one, and after due contemplation
the hn2l step must be taken. dc not wish TO
say anything against nv wife, but simply say
life is very unhappy with her, consequently
am going TO senarate from her for time.
When this reaches you will be on my way 10
New York and on my arrival there will remit to
you tile amount of my Indebtedness. | have
just wri Ten my wife, Which letter will reach
her with this. All my personal effects J.
wish you would keep in your possession, and
when l write you from New York you
can send them on to Inc. This
hereby give You power to do. They in
clude my clothing, nictures OF NV family etc
/ don't wish my wife 10 retain them, as they
are my personal property. After this reaches
you my wife can quietly pack her and baby's
:. L
ma all this known befO my departure This
afternoon, hut knew what scene it would
create, so Fl as | did. 1t breaks my heart to
leave my darling babe. and l only pray that my
wife viii bring her up az pure can be. Good by
! thank you with my whole heart for your many
klndnesSes. Give my regards TO - and
kiss baby for me- and with many kind thought
l am very specially yours.
Address me at 123 East Sixty-ninlh street.
New York City.
When Mrs. Van Pelt was seen on June
8 she told CALL reporter that she won d
commence divorce proceedings against her
husband on the ground nj desertion. she
Is living with her mother, Mrs. Tucker
in Oakland
Prior to Van Pelt's desertion of his wife
he had been receiving anonymous letters
from young woman who is splendid
type OF Thackeray's Becky Sharp" This
young woman apparently lives in PEACH
land, a small village near Seba,topCI.
Sonoma County. She signed her letters
sometimes as Miss Wfnkler," som times
az IN. Prlm" and sometimes s IL
The letters were dated from &c. Y. P. G.
o.. but the envelopes bore the postmark
Peach and" In one of her letters she
tells Van Pelt about looking so sad, owing
to the want Of his loved presence, and her
mother said to her, Harriet. what makes
you so pale?" So her name is Harriet and
she has cousin. Mrs. Williams. in this
city, and she wrote him that my cousin,
Mrs. Williams. and her two children will
be here in Gay or two from San Fran
cisco" She addressed him variously such
as Mr.. Van Pelt" In her first letter. then
dear Fred" then my dearest Fred" and
dearest Gill"
This young woman had been on visit
to Santa Rosa aud had been introduced to
the Van Pets. While protesting to be a
friend TO Mrs. Van Pelt she was deiber:
ateiy endeavoring TO ALLEVIATE the affec-
tinns of the husband from his young wife
and in the most treacherous manner.
In a letter addressed Mr. Van Palt. -
abominable charges against Mrs Van
Pelt, tells him it is only for his good that
she so writes and plays the hypocrite
admirably. This letter is signed Miss
Wrinkle" and is in the same handwriting
as the letters that followed declaring the
writer's love for him and showing tina,
she and Van Pelt had been on very loving
terms with each other and were only
waiting until ne could get divorce from
his wife tn get married. Most OF these let
ters OF the tender sort were sent to Van
Pelt while in New York and several OF
them had reached there after ne had left
for this city, but had been redirected by
bis father to the Baldwin Hotel.
In one OF the letters from his mother she
refers TO this young woRan's illusions,
and warns him in gentle. motherly way
to drop her as a correspondent, as she feels
sure no good will come out Of it.
1t is supposed that when Van Pelt de-
serted his wife he went 10 New York to
consult with his father as TO obtaining a
divorce from his wife. There are tele-
gram and letter from his father on June
u, the former saying: Sent 100 to-day &c
the Leo" the name Of the lodging-house,