The San Francisco call., 1896-08-25

liberately prepared to commit sui
eide He carried with him small
roll of brown paper and bottle of
mucilage and last evening when his body
was found rigid in death by F. Boesmann,
the lodging house clerk, the gas was still
flowing from single jet and every crevice
through which the deadly fluid might
have escaped was sealed with the paper
the suicide had carried with him the
evening before.
The suicide is the aftermath of an un-
happy marriage. About three years ago
Bernhard took as his wife Mae w. Wal
kinson, daughter of Mrs. ii. Walkinson,
who resides at 1401 Folsom street. This
marriage proved the young mans down
fall.
He commenced suit for divorce against
his wife on August 19. The suit formed
the sequel to an attempt made by Bern
hard some two months ago to kill s. A.
Erwin in restaurant at the corner of Mis-
sion and Thirtieth streets. He charged
Erwin with being the destroyer of his
hcme. Erwin was named as correspondent
in the suit for divorce, and the complaint
charged that the wife had been guilty of
various acts of infideiity. Erwin was
motorman on the San Francisco and San
Mateo Railroad, but resigned his position
the day following the shooting affray and
LETT for Los Angeles. Up to the time the
divorce proceedings were instigated Mrs.
Bernhard was employed as typewriter
by the Revere Rubber Company on Mar
ket street, but when her troup ples became
public she lost her position.
Two letters were written and left by de-
ceased, one addressed to his wife and the
other TO her mother. The letter written
Mrs. Bernhard, which thoroughly ex-
plains the trouble which led up to the
tragic elimination, is as follows:
CITY, August %, 1896.
Dear Mae: In a few moments / will stand
before my Maker, and so you may believe what
assert to be the truth. Had | known that the
papers would get hold of your letter to me
would rather have cut OF my right hand than
insisted on divorce on the grounds specified.
Your mother is very unreasonable, and in an
interview l had with her this evening she
insisted that the fault was all mine. She
made proposition to me, which if carry it
out will either dishonor me among my friends
for life or leave me, in their estimation,
fool. l am too sensitive to submit to
ener ana baye seSed cb Cross rs tne
two months, but fully and freely forgive
your share of its cause. Take my advice-the
last I can give you or any one on this earth
and accept the welcome offered you by your
mother. leave envelope addressed to you
which contains SO 90, besides the pay due me
at the Office for Friday, Saturday and Sunday,
the cigar-store, has an order on the Market
street Railroad Company for my deposit of $25,
$50 of which he loaned me. He may or may not
give you the balance At any rate, try and get
the deposit in full and settle with Coffin your
self. Under no circumstances are you or your
mother to bear any part OF the expense of my
burial. Let the City bury me in the potters'
feld it is plenty good enough for me. You
are not to wear mourning on my account, If
you do not wish me to haunt you. God bless
you and keep you in the right path. ! am
sorry for nothing, except that did not have
big enough gun to kill that man Erwin. 1t
is for that reason l choose the gas
route as / dare not trust my 80
caliber pistol for fear of making a mess OF
it, and to-day being Sunday, could not buy
bigger gun. / blame you for nothing so be of
good cheer. You will find my trunk packed
at my room. In the top drawer among the
soiled wash clothing is all my jewelry. Your
mother referred to a friend of mine who called
to sympathize with her. If McClory is not
the One please let him have my pipe. With
the rest do as you like. Your husband,
o. F. BERNHARD.
1t is evident that Bernhard was inclined
to blame his mother-in-law for his
troubles, as the following letter, written to
her, would indicate:
Mrs. II. Watkinson-I hope You are satisfied
with the work you accomplished this evening.
O. F. BERNHARD.
When Mrs. Walkinson was informed of
the death of her son-in-law last evening
she became hysterical and refused to talk
about the affair.
Deputy Coroners O'Brien and Smith re-
moved Bernhard's body to the Morgue,
and in all probability, as requested, it will
he buried bv the City