The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1895-02-22
DISGRACE DROVE
HIM TO DEATH.
SUICIDE OF HENRY C. STILLWELL.
A DISHONEST BANK
CLERK.
A BULLET IN HIS HEART.
He WAS CAUGHT STEALING A $50
BILL AND DISMISSED-HIS
OTHER THEFTS.

of California shot himself through the
heart at his brothers. residence in Belve-
dere last night. 1t was undoubtedly case
of premeditated suicide, as Stillwell left a
note stating that he would have drowned
himself if he had been able to procure a
weight heavy enough to keep his body I'M
der water. AS he did not want his body to
be floating around the bay of San Fran
2Ico for an indefinite period, like dere-
lict, he chose surer and more convenient
way.
For two days Stillwell had been brood
ing over his troubles, and seeing disgrace
ahead and no haven of refuge in sight he
took his own life.
Harry, as his friends called him, was
about % years old. He was well known
around town and was zone of the boys"
He spent considerable money and always
kept his end up" AS a general rule he
was always in funds, but this fact was ac-
counted for by the oft-quoted remark, ellis
brother helps him out"
Young Stillwell's brother married a
Miss Blethen and her dover was consider
able. Lately the husband, according to
the stories told in the newspapers, was
stood up on one OF the by streets of the
city and robbed of between 5000 and 500.
The police made thorough search for the
robbers but they were never caught. 1t
was in this brothers residence that the
young bank clerk committed suicide.
Stillwell lived at 1247 Twenty third street
with his parents, but had not been near
the place, except during last Wednesday
night, for several days. Last Saturday
and Monday he was short of funds and
was not seen in his usual haunts. Tuesday
the temptation came and he fell. Several
bundles of new treasury notes were taken
out of the bank safe and laid on one of the
desks. They were only a couple of feet
from where Stillwell was working, and
thinking no one was looking he distracted
a note from bundle of the $50 denomina-
ton. He was seen, however, and the
teller soon learned that his cash was short.
The note was found on Stillwell and he
was at once discharged.
AS the officers of the bank did not de-
sire any notoriety an attempt was made to
keep the whole affair secret President
Alvord called all the employees together
after banking hours and warned every one
to keep silent on the subject. "The bank
has received all the advertising it wants."
said he, 'and the first man that opens his
mouth in regard to this unfortunate occur
renee will be discharged"
The address was short, but to the point.
Not hint of the attempted theft leaked
out until Stillwell took the matter in his
own hands and made the whole affair
common talk by committing suicide.
While the theft of the $50 bill was the
immediate cause of his detection it was not
ba
himself to the banks funds. He had been
IN the habit of opening letters and using
the contents if they should be greenbacks
or checks payable to bearer. So far the
bank has discovered a shortage of $3.50, but
it may be weeks before the actual amount
is known. The correspondents of the in
stitution will be communicated with, and
when their answers arrive it will be known
to a cent how much young Stillwell was
short.
When the guilty man heard his sentence
pronounced he left the bank and went to
his home at 1247 Twenty-third street. He
remained there all night and YESTERDAY
went to Tiburon on the IL o'clock boat.
He was apparently in good humor and
laughed and joked with his friends on the
lower deck of the steamer At Tiburon he
took the bus for Belvedere and was driven
to his brothers residence That was the
last time any OF his acquaintance saw him
alive. He evidently at first attempted to
drown himself but failed. Then to make |
things doubly sure he took dose of
chloroform and shot himself through the
heart. The remains were taken to San
Rafael on the 6 P. NJ. train and an inquest |
will be held there tomorrow.
The following statement was made by
the officers of the Bank of California as
embodying the main facts of the case:
Harry G. Stillwen had been in the en-
ploy of the Bank of California for about |
three years without attracting attention to |
any behavior suggestive. of criminal ten
denotes. 1t goes without saying that he
was trusted. People that are trusted never |
betray their trusts.
"StillwelPs duties were mostly out of |
doors, as messenger, mail clerk and city
collector. Hewas capable, industrious and |
active. Being obliged to account for col |
lections after each trip there was no room
in that direction for misconduct. The |
method practiced by Stillwell was one that
could not be guarded against, yet one in |
which early detection was inevitable, and /
j is mystery how a person of his intelli-
tence could have thought it safe to use it.
1t consisted in the theft of letters and |
after appropriating any available contents
the letters and any unconvertible contents
were destroyed.
"By available contents we refer to green
backs or other payable to bearer items
Checks and drafts payable to order were of |
course unconyertible
cit could only be short time when
missing letters would be inquired for by
the senders, and once suspicion is aroused
detection is simple and inevitable. The
people that are not detected are those that
are not suspected. Very shortly after sus-
picion was directed toward Stilwell he was
confronted with proofs of his guilt. He at
once confessed, giving full particulars, and
left the bank. That was Wednesday a
short time after noon.
THE total defalcation confessed to
amounts to about $3.50 and is confirmed by
our Investigations.
To-day we were informed at the bank
that a fplpnhnno bod haor7