The San Francisco call., 1896-05-09
J. B. R. 0slom's Letter to the
Coroner Threatening His
Suicide.
MISS L. BOWMAN LAUGHS.
A Gay Little Typewriter Who Cares
Little for an Unknown
Admirer.

Coroner W. J. Hawkins is in receipt of
one OF his periodical letters announcing
the writer's intention to commit suicide
on account of the unrequited love OF some
fair maiden.
Three times in six weeks letters of this
kind have been received, and each time
been fictitious.
All these LISTERS have been written by
the same man, and the language in each
has been much the same.
In a letter received by mail yesterday
morning the name of Lillian Bowman was
mentioned, and her address, los Grove
street, was also given. In this instance
the young lady has materlalized.
She is vivacious little typewriter IN
embryo. She Is studying her profession at
Heald's Business College, and for reasons
best known to herself she does not live
with her mamma. nor will she room with
her sister of 3l7 Golden Gate avenue. In
stead she prefers to keep maiden quarters
at los Grove street.
She was very happy yesterday. An
artist was there sketching her pretty face
for publication and she anticipated the
visit of reporters and artists.
at is all so much fun," she exclaimed,
jumping up on the back of her bed and
beating her heels on the board. 81 don't
know who this crank IS who loves me So
but 1 will go and look at him at the
Morgue when they find him. I'm sure
won't know him even then"
The idea of a man committing suicide
on account of love for her was great
amusement and her bright brown eyes
sparkled in merriment. 1t was all so
funny for this young woman that the i'm
n.y. ct. ,nf n tnrf
the letter to the Coroner herself.
Here Is how that letter reads:
gan FRANCISCO, Cal, May z, 1895.
W.. Hdarkfns, Coroner-DEAR SIR: When you
receive this l will be dead, for / am going to
jump In the bay. / have been in love with q
sweet, false face, and she would not have me-
] fell in love with her ct Kearny and Geary q
little over week ago. Her name is Lillian
Bowman and she lives at los Grove street, in
this City. l have written TO her TO meet me.
and still she WON'T come. for she loves some one
else. Oh, my heart is breaking for her as l
write these words. / am 81 years old and my
folks live in Los Angeles. / won't give their
address, as 1 don't want them to know how
their boy died of a broken heart
come and % let me win Your lover On. On NV Sy heart art
is breaking for you, and it is you who are
sending me to watery grave. Oh, my love,
good-by. love you still, but you are false to
love you. Oh, mother. good-by, and good-by,
sister. A girl by the name of Bowman killed
me. anu Sne lives aL 4OO NrrOVo street. On,
mamma, you might see this in the papers, but
forgive your son. Good-by, Lille.
Miss Bowman claims that she has re-
ce-ved a dozen or so of letters from her
unknown admirer within the past eight
| days, but that she has destroyed them.
"In one of his letters" the young lady
said, ''the fellow wanted me to become his
wife. Just think of it! His wifel There
was a man / never saw and he wanted tc
marry me. He must have been very
! stuck"
She giggled at the thought of it. Eli:
wifep p That was too funny. and she
laughed again, kicked her heels against
the back OF the bed and said she would nc
longer submit to the pencil sketch the
artist was making.
ain another of his letters" Miss Bow
man said, "this man asked me to NEE
! him at the corner of Grove and Poll
streets. He wanted me to have hand
kerchief in my hand that he might know
me - MOI l DON'T mean that. 81
wanted the handkerchief in my hand t
know if I'd let him speak to me. l neve
paid any attention to him."
The people at the Morgue have no ide
that the body of Oslom will ever be found
Whether Miss Bowman and the writer @
the periodical letters are partners in
hoax is what they care most to learn.