The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1896-12-03
SUICIDE OF AN ACTOR
Harry Thompson Shuifl,s Off
the Mortal Coil While
Despondent.
n, Takes a Dose of Poison at Duan's
Villa on the Ocean Beach and
Makes His Exit

Harry Thompson, actor and play wright,
committed suicide yesterday. and all that
is known of his motive is told in post
scriptum of a letter he left behind: 81
didn't mean it, sir; indeed / didn't"
Those who know him best believe he
was respondent, and that he gave way un.
der reverses of fortune. He had wife,
who, if we may judge from his letters,
loved him dearly and struggled hard in
Philadelphia to support herself by teach
ing music, but with poor success, She
was beginning only, and looked to her
husband for assistance. which he could
not give.
Thompson came here from the East
with the ''Iu Darkest Russia company,
which played at the California, but he did
manager, Sidney R. Ellis, left him a
note advising him to see DR.. Henry
H. Hart, physician of the Actors
Fund. and telling him he could
not loan more money. On Novem-
Der Is Thompson received letter from his
wife from Philadelphia, in which she ex-
pressed sincere sorrow on hearing of his
Illness and also wish that the note would
She told him she was teaching music
and had progressed so far as to be able TO
earn 81 a week, but had hopes OF better
times.
Illness and failure had their effect upon
the actor, who came TO the conclusion
it was not "better in the mind to suffer, T"
etc. He took two drinks and ended the
'slugs and arrows" And he left this
letter behind to tell his story.
THE BALDWIN,
SAN FRANCISCO, CAL, Monday, 1879.
When man is on the eve of eternity he
thinks through many funny straws-my case !;
but TO be brief. The sun has set, and as she
IN ent and think how beautiful you were nj the
rise, how dismal and black at the setting;
however, go down, dear sun, and rise to smile
upon my ruin, still some ruins are grand and
beautiful to look upon, nothing more. Some
kind soul will look upon my ruin, and to use
the language OF "a 1riend," will start at be-
holding me, thinking me dead, little dreaming
that 1.-The moaning and groanlng, the signing
and sobbipg are Quoted now"
Some don't think have not had good time
in this rough old world of ours. for have, l
de- at both ends and wish TO go to sleep, that
is all, so please, Mr.. Coroner don't cut too
deep one last favor, in my fob-pocket will be
found quarter please buy white rose"
would like my dear friend Charley Brooks to
do this and put ii with me in my coy little
room before you lock the door. l am afraid
this horrible heart-throbbing will interfere
but hope to reach the spot, of course these
things are too bad but they will occur, to the
"boys" who come to look upon me all / ask is
HARRY THOMSON.
didn't mean it sir indeed didn't.
Monday night Thompson asked for a
room ut the Russ House. lie appeared to
the manager as respectable fellow and
was given accommodation. and that night
he wrote his farewell. Next evening he
went to Dunn's Villa at the Ocean beach.
He engaged a room and paid for it. and
after taking two drinks at the bar, made
the casual remark, I'm tired, and I'm
going to ted
Yesterday evening, Gus Raerz, an en-
ploye OF the villa. found Thompson dead
in bed. Thompson was taken to the
Morgue, where an autopsy will be held to
ascertain the cause of death, which is sup
posed to be poison.
Thompson was an author of mediocre
plays, one OF which is "Mystery of
Venice" but he never reached any emf
hence on the stage.