The herald., 1895-08-02
STILL ANOTHER SUICIDE
E. L. Steppler Takes His Life
Because of Disgrace
HIS BOY RUINED BYA WOMAN
She Induced Him to F0rsake His Parents
for Her
He Had Lived With Her Sine. July 4th and
his Father Could Not Separate Them.
Details OF the Case

Heartbroken over his son s wayward
ness, Ernest l.. Steppler suicided yester-
day morning BY taking strychninc. The
dead man had worried himself to the
point of distraction and had threatened
several times to take his life He was the
proprietor of the saloon at the corner of
Alameda and First streets. For several
weeks he had been drinking con sidera-
ply and had repeatedly quarreled with
his wife. The cause of the dissention
has been the boy. Willie, who was living
with a woman of i'll repute. The mother
seemed disposed not to act harshly with
their wayward son. but the father favored
more stringent methods. The two have
had number of disputes and Steppler
has been abusive and quaIrelsome at
times.
Wednesday night he went to his home
at 1130 West Thirty-frst street, after
having had Willie arrested on charge of
vagrancy. A violent quarrel ensued be-
tween him and his wife with the result
that she left the house and spent the rest
of the evening with friends. Yesterday
morning about O'Clock Steppler came
from his room and told his stepdaugh liter
that he had taken dose of poison and
WOulu sODl uit. I1e tIlpIl went ana lay
on the bed while she went to summon
medical assistance. 1t was not until sew
eral hours had elapsed that physician
appeared and then he was too late, as
SIeppler had passed away.
On table near a couch was the follow
ing note in German, written with lead
pencil:
Dear Wife: l want to tell you farewell
and ask forgiveness for all | have done to
you. Only | cannot forgive Willie. He
is my murderer. l cannot bear This life.
Kiss the children. all for me- but no.
Willie. Your everlasting. loving husband,
L. L. SrEPPLER.
Near the letter stood the vial of poison
and glass from which the drug had been
swallowed
Mrs Steppler did not visit the house
during the morning. she presuma bly, sup
posing her husband still to be there, and
she did not desire another encounter with
him. About 2:30 in the afternoon she was
driven up to the police station with sew
eral persons in closed carriage. Wiilie's
fine was paid and lie was taken home.
Mrs. Stepppler was greatly agitated and
wept freely, having evidently only re.
Gently learned of her husbands suicide.
She would make no statement about the
affair." being too nervous to converse.
The boy maintained stolid indifference
and did not manifest any grief over bis
fathers death or the fact that he had
been the indirect cause of the suicide.
1t was the Fourth of July when Willie
deserted his home for the company OF
lewd female and the present unfortunate
domestic affair started. He had been
employed in jewelry store learning tn
trade. and was considered boy of good
habits. His father purchased the saloon
on First street though, and thinking to
save expenses put Willie as helper ABOUT
the place. IL wa, here that the boy
Lon hio Grct g -, a Il
of life. and here that he probably met
Mrs. Potter. the woman who exercised
such fascination over him.
On July 1lth the pair went to San
Pedro. intending to spend the day. but
seaside liquor proved seductive and they
vent on a spree there lasting several
days. When they returned to Los An
geles instead of Willie going home he
went to live with Mrs. Potter at SIS Ban
ming street, Just in the rear of the old
power house of the electric company.
Steppler soon discovered them and
started to get the boy to return home. In
this attempt he was unsuccessful.
stringent measures, so he went to the
district attorey's office and stated the
case. He was advised to swear to
complaint charging tho boy with being
a vagrant, and separate the guilty pair
in this manner. When the officers went
down. they found the place locked and
received no response to their knocks.
A watch was kept upon the place, but
without success, as no one appeared.
Several more attempts were made to ar
rest the boy. but it was not until Wednes.
day that he was caught.
Steppler probably being unable to in
duce the boy to give up the Potter wo-
man, desired to end the disgrace by
death.
The inouest will he held todav