Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1895-11-03

stranger, who was young and intelligent,
grow uncomfortable under the i'll disguised
scrutiny Of the crowd and finally said;
Gentlemen, would like to explain my
presence here and why sit up in the Office
in preference to taking bed. In the first
place, lot mo assure you tits not = matter
OF money" drawing out Roodly sized roll
Of bills. "For some years my father, who
is o resident of New York, has had trouble
with his family and has been wanderrr
He WAS at one time worth considerable
money, but this has been lost, and mum
Der of letters which have of late received
from him show mo he is dcspohdcnt This
afternoon got u letter from him dated In
Detroit saying he would arrive in Chicago
tonight, take room at this hotel and end
his life by turning on tho gas. He added
Tint in tho event OF the gas falling ho has
pistol with him with which he would
send n bullet through his brain. Father
had no idea would get this letter today
as ] have boen out Of town, and 1t was
only an unexpected case OF sickness in my
family which brought me back. am sit
ting up hero to intercept him whom he
comes In and prevent tho suicide which ho
oontcmplates. Fortunately have means
enough for both, and can relieve his anx-
iety In this respect"
DR.. Potter and his friends wore at once
Interested. They congratulated tho stran-
gor on his good luck in having yoccived
his fathcr's letter In timo and rendered
their services in any way In which they
might DO desired. Two or three times an
effort was made to find out tho mans
name, but he PARTED the questions ON the
ground that, us his fathers plans would
DO frustrated, ha did not caro- TO have his
Identity disclosed "You mny, however,
call mo Melchior, as 1t is awkward TO ad-
dress a man without name, md Melchior
is rs good MS anything barring tho right
one" Tho evening sped along, and about
midnight the stranger, being assured no
more trains would arrive before morning.
took his departure, saying ho thought his
father must have been detained or perhaps
have happily changed his mind. The &c.
ourrcnoe was so much out Of the ordinary
that DIR. Potter and his friends sat up for
an hour or more talking 1t over.
At o'clock they went TO bed, and a few
minutes later the night clerk retired, leav-
ing an assistant, who had not heard the
story, in charge of the office. About 80
In came an old gentleman with a travel.
ing bag In hand, who registered as George
@. Melchior, " and was assigned to room.
a strong smell OF Ras on that floor The
door OF the newcomers room was broken
in, and he was found dead with pistol
In his right hand and bullet wound In
his head, Ho had turned on the gas and
then shot himself BY this time everybody
in tho house had heard the story Of tho
young mans visit tho night before, and
all wero positive that the old gentleman
who had killed himself was his father.
The afternoon papers had report OF the
suicide and before night the young man
was back at the house asking TO sec tho
body. DR.. Potter consoled with him and
went TO the desk while no asked some ques-
lions before going up to SEQ the body,
II don't understand how father could
have registered as 'Melohior, for 1t is not
his name and / only used 1t last night to
conceal our own, tho stranger said. at
must have been case OF mental telepathy."
On reaching the room whore the body
lay much moro peculiar episode occurred.
The moment the young man saw the face
Of the corpse he said;
THAT'S not father. never saw this
man before. He is not known 10 me-"
Nor was he. A search Of tho dead mans
effoets brought on, papers proving his iden.
tity as George @. Melohior and giving rea-
sons for suicide somewhat similar TO those
advanced by the young stranger when he
was telling his story the night before.
Within a week DR.. Potter heard from the
young man, who said hts father was alive
and WE'LL having recovered from his do
spondenoy and abandoned his intention OF
taking his life, but tho mystery Of how
man giving the same name should appear
at tho hotel selected by the strangers IA
thor on the same night and commit sui
eide In the Same manner outlined by him
has never been explained. The veraoious
Chicago Tribune vouohes for the truth OF
the above story